Record number of Canadians set to play in NBA this season
As the NBA is set to tip off this season, there’s a bit of a Canadian flavour permeating through it.
With the 2023-24 NBA season set to get underway later today, the league will see its roster filled with a record number of Canadian players.
Of course, there are names like defending champion Jamal Murray and All-NBA player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, but there are plenty of other Canadian talents that deserve your attention as well.
Here’s a full list of the 26 Canadians on opening day rosters for the 2023-24 season:
- Dalano Banton, Boston Celtics
- Oshae Brissett, Boston Celtics
- Tristan Thompson, Cleveland Cavaliers
- AJ Lawson, Dallas Mavericks
- Dwight Powell, Dallas Mavericks
- Olivier-Maxence Prosper, Dallas Mavericks
- Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets
- Cory Joseph, Golden State Warriors
- Andrew Wiggins, Golden State Warriors
- Dillon Brooks, Houston Rockets
- Andrew Nembhard, Indiana Pacers
- Bennedict Mathurin, Indiana Pacers
- Joshua Primo, LA Clippers
- Brandon Clarke, Memphis Grizzlies
- Lindell Wigginton, Milwaukee Bucks
- Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Minnesota Timberwolves
- Leonard Miller, Minnesota Timberwolves
- RJ Barrett, New York Knicks
- Luguentz Dort, Oklahoma City Thunder
- Caleb Houstan, Orlando Magic
- Shaedon Sharpe, Portland Trail Blazers
- Trey Lyles, Sacramento Kings
- Charles Bediako, San Antonio Spurs
- Kelly Olynyk, Utah Jazz
It’s a great time for Canadian basketball, with the men’s national team qualifying for their first appearance at the Olympics since 2000 as they’re set to compete in Paris next summer.
If you just flip a game on any given night, there’s a good chance you’ll see a Canadian involved, with 18 different teams featuring a Canadian player on their roster.
Toronto actually isn’t one of them, though that’s more of a technicality on how the league records international players — Raptors forward Chris Boucher was born in St. Lucia before growing up in Montreal.
Meanwhile, Sacramento’s Chris Duarte was born in Montreal but grew up in the Dominican Republic, so the league records him as such. It’s a little confusing, but nevertheless, there’s Canadian heritage spread all throughout the league.