TORONTO, Ont. (October 22, 2019) – For a sixth consecutive season, Canada once again features the most international-born players with a record 16 Canadians on opening-night rosters, the most players from a non-U.S. country ever.
For a second consecutive season, there are 108 international players. These players hail from 38 different countries and territories, including the 16 Canadians.
In addition, there are a record 11 international players from eight countries on “two-way” contracts, including four Canadians. These contracts allow two-way players to be with their NBA parent team for up to 45 days, spending most of the season in the NBA G League.
Six Canadians were selected in the 2019 NBA Draft, not only surpassing the previous record of four Canadians picked in the 2014 NBA Draft but also setting the record for most draftees from a non-U.S. country in one draft. In addition, the four Canadian first-round selections also established a new record for the country.
RJ Barrett (New York Knicks; Canada; BWB Global 2017) is just one of a record 30 former Basketball Without Borders (BWB) campers on opening-night rosters. BWB is the NBA and FIBA’s global basketball development and community outreach program that has seen 69 former campers drafted into the NBA or signed as free agents since 2001.
Several Canadians will be in new threads when the season gets started this week. After spending the past two seasons in Indiana, Cory Joseph inked a three-year contract with the Sacramento Kings this past summer, while Trey Lyles, who played with the Denver Nuggets a season ago, signed with the San Antonio Spurs in the offseason. Naz Mitrou-Long, who was on a two-way deal with the Utah Jazz the last two seasons, has signed another two-way contract with the Indiana Pacers for the upcoming season.
For a second straight year, Dwight Powell’s Dallas Mavericks have an NBA-high seven international players.
CANADIAN NBA PLAYERS
NAME | AGE | 2018-19 TEAM / STATS | CURRENT TEAM | |
NICKEIL ALEXANDER-WALKER | 21 | Virginia Tech Hokies (NCAA)
34 GP, 16.2 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 34.3 MPG |
New Orleans Pelicans | |
RJ BARRETT | 19 | Duke Blue Devils (NCAA)
38 GP, 22.6 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 35.3 MPG |
New York Knicks | |
KHEM BIRCH | 27 | Orlando Magic
50 GP, 4.8 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 12.9 MPG |
Orlando Magic |
|
CHRIS BOUCHER | 26 | Toronto Raptors
28 GP, 3.3 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 5.8 MPG |
Toronto Raptors | |
IGNAS BRAZDEIKIS | 20 | Michigan Wolverines (NCAA)
37 GP, 14.8 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 29.6 MPG |
New York Knicks | |
OSHAE BRISSETT* | 21 | Syracuse Orange (NCAA)
34 GP, 12.4 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 33.0 MPG |
Toronto Raptors | |
DILLON BROOKS | 23 | Memphis Grizzlies
18 GP, 7.5 PPG, 1.7 RPG, 18.3 MPG |
Memphis Grizzlies |
|
BRANDON CLARKE | 23 | Gonzaga Bulldogs (NCAA)
37 GP, 16.9 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 28.1 MPG |
Memphis Grizzlies | |
LUGUENTZ DORT* | 20 | Arizona State Sun Devils (NCAA)
34 GP, 16.1 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 31.5 MPG |
Oklahoma City Thunder | |
SHAI GILGEOUS-ALEXANDER | 21 | Los Angeles Clippers
82 GP, 10.8 PPG, 3.3 APG, 26.5 MPG |
Oklahoma City Thunder | |
CORY JOSEPH | 28 | Indiana Pacers
82 GP, 6.5 PPG, 3.9 APG, 25.2 MPG |
Sacramento Kings | |
MFIONDU KABENGELE | 22 | Florida State Seminoles (NCAA)
37 GP, 13.2 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 21.6 MPG |
Los Angeles Clippers | |
TREY LYLES | 23 | Denver Nuggets
64 GP, 8.5 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 17.5 MPG |
San Antonio Spurs | |
NAZ MITROU-LONG* | 26 | Utah Jazz
14 GP, 1.1 PPG, 1.1 APG, 6.0 MPG |
Indiana Pacers | |
JAMAL MURRAY | 22 | Denver Nuggets
75 GP, 18.2 PPG, 4.8 APG, 32.6 MPG |
Denver Nuggets | |
KELLY OLYNYK | 28 | Miami Heat
79 GP, 10.0 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 22.9 MPG |
Miami Heat | |
DWIGHT POWELL | 28 | Dallas Mavericks
77 GP, 10.6 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 21.6 MPG |
Dallas Mavericks | |
MARIAL SHAYOK* | 24 | Iowa State Cyclones (NCAA)
34 GP, 18.7 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 32.9 MPG |
Philadelphia 76ers | |
TRISTAN THOMPSON | 28 | Cleveland Cavaliers
43 GP, 10.9 PPG, 10.2 RPG, 27.9 MPG |
Cleveland Cavaliers |
|
ANDREW WIGGINS | 24 | Minnesota Timberwolves
73 GP, 18.1 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 34.8 MPG |
Minnesota Timberwolves |
* Two-way contract
CANADIAN PLAYERS’ SCHEDULE
Date | Visiting Team | Canadian Player |
Tuesday October 22 | New Orleans Pelicans | Nickeil Alexander-Walker |
Monday October 28 | Orlando Magic | Khem Birch |
Wednesday November 6 | Sacramento Kings | Cory Joseph |
Wednesday November 20 | Orlando Magic | Khem Birch |
Monday November 25 | Philadelphia 76ers | Marial Shayok* |
Wednesday November 27 | New York Knicks | R.J. Barrett, Ignas Brazdeikis |
Tuesday December 3 | Miami Heat | Kelly Olynyk |
Wednesday December 11 | LA Clippers | Mfiondu Kabengele |
Monday December 16 | Cleveland Cavaliers | Tristan Thompson |
Sunday December 22 | Dallas Mavericks | Dwight Powell |
Sunday December 29 | Oklahoma City Thunder | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luguentz Dort* |
Tuesday December 31 | Cleveland Cavaliers | Tristan Thompson |
Sunday January 12 | San Antonio Spurs | Trey Lyles |
Wednesday January 22 | Philadelphia 76ers | Marial Shayok* |
Wednesday February 5 | Indiana Pacers | Naz Mitrou-Long* |
Monday February 10 | Minnesota Timberwolves | Andrew Wiggins |
Sunday February 23 | Indiana Pacers | Naz Mitrou-Long* |
Sunday March 22 | Denver Nuggets | Jamal Murray |
Monday March 30 | Memphis Grizzlies | Dillon Brooks, Brandon Clarke |
Sunday April 12 | New York Knicks | R.J. Barrett, Ignas Brazdeikis |
With files from NBA
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