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The 2025-26 NBA Regular Season kicks off on Tuesday with a pair of games, featuring Luka Doncic embarking on his inaugural full season with the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Slovenian sensation, joined by Serbian star Nikola Jokic and Greek powerhouse Giannis Antetokounmpo, headlines an unprecedented group of 71 European players included in the opening night rosters. This representation is part of a total of 135 international players, also a record, hailing from 43 different nations outside the U.S.
Notably, the European contingent includes several prominent figures from the recent EuroBasket 2025, among them Most Valuable Player Dennis Schroder, Alperen Sengun, and Franz Wagner.
The New York Knicks roster features six European athletes, with three coming from France: Guerschon Yabusele, Mohamed Diawara, and Pacome Dadiet. Additionally, five European players will begin the season with the Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, and Orlando Magic, while four can be found on the rosters of the Brooklyn Nets, Los Angeles Clippers, Oklahoma City Thunder, Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, and Washington Wizards.
In addition to players, the league also boasts three European head coaches ready to lead their teams: Jordi Fernandez from Spain with the Nets, Tuomas Iisalo from Finland with the Memphis Grizzlies, and Darko Rajakovic from Serbia with the Toronto Raptors.
This expanding international presence aligns with the NBA’s ambitions to introduce a premier competition in Europe. In partnership with FIBA, the new European league, often referred to as NBA Europe, is anticipated to debut in 2027.
The opening night festivities begin at Paycom Center, where the reigning champions Thunder will take on the Rockets, and continue at crypto.com Arena, where the Lakers will host the Golden State Warriors.
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