NBA Opens Season With Record 135 International Players; European League Plans Take Shape
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The 2025-26 NBA campaign tips off this week with an unprecedented international presence. According to The Associated Press, a record 135 players born outside the United States appear on the 30 opening-night rosters, up from last season’s mark. Of that group, 71 hail from Europe, another all-time high. Players from 43 non-U.S. countries are represented overall, tying the league record, and every franchise has at least one international player.
NBA Europe on the Horizon
The surge in overseas talent is fueling the league’s push to establish an NBA-branded circuit on the continent. Deputy commissioner Mark Tatum told reporters this week that “NBA Europe” could launch within the next few years. Phase one envisions permanent franchises in Spain, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Germany, and possibly Turkey and Greece. Tatum added that additional markets could earn entry through qualification spots.
Luxury-Tax Picture
Fourteen of the league’s 30 teams begin the season positioned to pay the luxury tax, ESPN’s Bobby Marks reports. Several clubs have thin cushions and could slip below the tax line before the Feb. 2026 trade deadline, including the Raptors (currently $772,000 over), Nuggets ($402,000), and Suns ($274,000).
Spotrac’s Keith Smith published a detailed breakdown of how every roster sits relative to the salary cap, tax line, and the first and second aprons.
Preseason Power Rankings
An ESPN panel ranked all 30 teams entering the season, slotting the Thunder at No. 1 and the Wizards at No. 30.
NBA Stars Return to Their Campuses
Several active standouts have accepted ceremonial front-office titles at their alma maters over the past year. Stephen Curry (Davidson), Trae Young (Oklahoma), and Damian Lillard (Weber State) now serve as general managers or assistant GMs for their former programs. Young said he plans to engage selectively in recruiting: “If there is a high-level recruit, you best believe I’m gonna talk to the kid. … I’m not gonna overstep, but there’s definitely opinions I’m gonna mention.”
Middle Eastern Investment Grows
Sovereign wealth funds from Abu Dhabi and elsewhere in the Middle East have increased their stakes in NBA ventures in recent years. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst examined how those partnerships formed and what future expansion could look like.
The season opens with more international players than ever and concrete steps toward a European league, underscoring the NBA’s accelerating globalization.
Source: Hoops Rumors
