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The 2025-26 NBA regular season kicks off on Tuesday with a pair of matchups, featuring Luka Doncic embarking on his inaugural full season with the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Slovenian sensation, along with Serbian superstar Nikola Jokic and Greek phenom Giannis Antetokounmpo, headline an unprecedented European contingent of 71 players included in the opening night lineups. This is part of a record-setting roster that features a total of 135 international athletes hailing from 43 different countries outside of the U.S.
Notably, a number of these players showcased their talents in the recent EuroBasket 2025, with highlights including MVP Dennis Schroder, Alperen Sengun, and Franz Wagner.
The New York Knicks feature six European players, three of whom are from France: Guerschon Yabusele, Mohamed Diawara, and Pacome Dadiet. Five European players will also commence the season with the Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, and Orlando Magic. Meanwhile, four players are represented on the rosters of the Brooklyn Nets, Los Angeles Clippers, Oklahoma City Thunder, Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, and Washington Wizards.
In addition to the players, three European head coaches are set to lead their teams, including Spaniard Jordi Fernandez with the Nets, Finn Tuomas Iisalo at the Memphis Grizzlies, and Serbian Darko Rajakovic at the Toronto Raptors.
The increasing international representation aligns with the league’s vision of establishing a premier European competition. In partnership with FIBA, this new league, often referred to as NBA Europe, is anticipated to commence in 2027.
The season opener will take place at Paycom Center, where the reigning champion Thunder will host the Rockets, before moving to crypto.com Arena for the Lakers’ matchup against the Golden State Warriors.
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