DUBAI: The 2025–26 NBA season tipped off last night with international stars once again taking center stage, highlighting the league’s growing global reach and balance of power.
In Oklahoma City, Canadian MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the defending champions to a dramatic 125-124 double-overtime win over the Houston Rockets on ring night, scoring 35 points and delivering the decisive free throws.
Out west, Slovenian guard Luka Doncic opened his season in spectacular form for the Los Angeles Lakers, recording 43 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists in a narrow loss to Golden State, joining Michael Jordan as the only guards in NBA history to open a season with a 40-10-5 stat line.
Their performances captured what NBA Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer Mark Tatum called a “new era” for the league, one defined by the strength and reach of its international players.
NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum hails record-breaking 135 international players as league opens its 2025–26 season. (Supplied)
“This marks a new era for our league, and I think it’s one that’s going to transform how fans everywhere watch and experience the NBA through our new media partnerships, our most global partnerships to date,” Tatum said.
“While we continue to build on the incredible growth of the game, with seven different champions in the last seven seasons, the league’s historic age of competitiveness gives fans hope that this once again could be their team’s year.”
Record number of international players
Ahead of opening night, Tatum confirmed that the league had reached a historic milestone.
“There is a record 135 international players on opening-night rosters that beats the previous record by 10,” he said.
“We have a record number of European players, including a record 19 French players, a record number of players from the UK, and also a record-tying number of players from Australia.
“As you all know, four international players have combined to win the last seven MVP awards.”
That mix of experience and emerging talent has helped shape one of the most competitive landscapes in years.
“There is no clear favorite to win the championship, and that’s why it gives more fans some hope,” Tatum said.
“The skill level in this league is unprecedented right now. There’s a mix of these all-time greats who are still playing at the highest level. There are these perennial MVP candidates who like the Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid.”
Expanding global footprint
Tatum also pointed to the NBA’s continued international expansion, with preseason and regular-season games held across several continents.
“I had the opportunity to attend our preseason games in Abu Dhabi and Macau. We also played NBA games for the first time ever in Melbourne, Australia,” he said.
“We also had preseason games in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Vancouver, Canada. And I can tell you that the enthusiasm around those games was truly remarkable.”
Beyond events, the league is also deepening its structural ties internationally.
“Ninety-five percent of the world’s population is outside the United States,” he added.
“And in many of those countries, basketball is either the No.1 or No. 2 sport. Even with everything we’re doing to engage hundreds of millions of passionate NBA fans around the world, we think we’re just scratching the surface of how popular this game and this league can be globally.”
A global game for a global audience
From Antetokounmpo in Greece to Jokic in Serbia and Embiid in Cameroon, international players continue to define the NBA’s identity. Rising talents such as Victor Wembanyama, the fastest player ever to reach 1 billion social media views, are expanding that reach even further.
“These players not only foster a unique connection between the NBA and the fans in their respective countries,” Tatum said.
“They’re global superstars who resonate in the US and around the world.”
As the 2025–26 season gets underway, the NBA’s opening night once again confirmed that basketball’s brightest stars now shine from every corner of the globe.
