Canada no longer the leader in international players named to opening-day NBA rosters

TORONTO — Canada is no longer the NBA’s biggest source of international talent.

The list of international players released Tuesday by the NBA shows France with a league-leading 17 players, one more than Canada.

Canada had boasted the largest international presence on opening-day rosters for the previous 12 seasons. The 16 Canadian players to start 2026-27 represent a drop of nine from last season.

Canada lost one player on Monday when Dallas Mavericks forward Dwight Powell was waived after 12 seasons with the club. The 2025-26 Canadian contingent also included longtime Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke, who died in May of a drug overdose, and veteran centre Kelly Olynyk, who joined Italian club BC Roma earlier this month.

Three teams have two Canadians on their roster: Atlanta (Luguentz Dort, Nickeil Alexander-Walker), Denver (Jamal Murray, Ryan Nembhard) and Memphis (Zach Edey, Olivier-Maxence Prosper).

Two-time NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads the Oklahoma City Thunder. RJ Barrett is the only Canadian currently on the Toronto Raptors.

France’s contingent is led by superstar forward Victor Wembanyama.

The NBA says 125 players, down 10 from last year, from 43 countries are on rosters to start the season.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 20, 2026.

The Canadian Press