‍TORONTO, Ont. (October 18, 2021) -- The 2021-22 season gets underway tonight with Canada once again featuring the most international-born players for an eighth consecutive season.

In total, there are a record 18 Canadian players on opening-night NBA rosters, which is part of a group of 109 international players from 39 countries. Additionally, there are two players on two-way contacts (Ignas Brazdeikis, Eugene Omoruyi) and two players with ties to Canada (Chris Boucher, Chris Duarte) for a total of 22 players.

​​The Toronto Raptors lead the league with a record-tying 10 international players from a record nine countries on opening-night rosters.

A pair of Canadians, Josh Primo and Dalano Banton, were selected in July during the 2021 NBA Draft.  Primo, a 6’6” guard was drafted 12th overall by the San Antonio Spurs, after averaging 8.1 points and 3.4 rebounds while shooting 43 percent form the floor and 38 percent from beyond the arc with Alabama last season.

In the second round, the Toronto Raptors made history selecting Toronto native Dalano Banton with the 46th overall pick.  A 6'9" guard, Banton averaged 9.6 points per game and was the team leader in rebounding (5.9), and assists (3.9). He also averaged 1.0 steals and 0.9 blocks per game during the 2020-21 season for Nebraska.

Kevin Pangos, who spent the last six years playing professionally in Europe, signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers as a free agent after being named to All-EuroLeague First Team with Zenit Saint Petersburg where he averaged a career-high 13.5 points, 2.1 rebounds and 6.7 assists.

Several Canadians changed teams in the offseason, including a pair of Canadians, Kelly Olynyk and Trey Lyles, joining Cory Joseph and the Detroit Pistons in the Motor City.  Tristan Thompson, who played for the Boston Celtics last season, was dealt in the offseason and will suit up for the Sacramento Kings this year.

A record 35 players on opening-night rosters participated in Basketball Without Borders (BWB) prior to their NBA careers, including Canadians R.J. Barrett, Ignas Brazdeikis, Luguentz Dort, Jamal Murray, Kelly Olynyk, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Primo.  BWB is the NBA and FIBA’s global basketball development and community outreach program that has seen 90 former campers drafted into the NBA or signed as free agents since 2001.

Chris Boucher (St. Lucia) and Chris Duarte (Dominican Republic) both have ties to Canada.

The 2021-22 NBA season tips off tonight with a doubleheader as part of Kia NBA Tip-Off 2021.  In the opening game, the defending NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks hosts the Brooklyn Nets at 7:30 p.m. ET.  In the second game, the Los Angeles Lakers take on Andrew Wiggins and the Warriors at 10 p.m. ET.

CANADIANS ON 2021-22 NBA OPENING NIGHT ROSTERS

<table border="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td><p>&nbsp;</p></td><td><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;<strong>NAME</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>AGE</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2020-21&nbsp;TEAM / STATS</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>CURRENT TEAM</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><img alt="" style="width: 120px; height: 87px;" src="https://ak-static.cms.nba.com/wp-content/uploads/headshots/nba/latest/260x190/1629638.png"></p></td><td><p><strong>NICKEIL ALEXANDER-WALKER</strong></p></td><td><p>23</p></td><td><p>New Orleans Pelicans</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>14.8 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 2.8 APG</p></td><td><p>New Orleans Pelicans</p></td></tr><tr><td><img alt="" style="width: 120px; height: 87px;" src="https://cdn.nba.com/headshots/nba/latest/1040x760/1630625.png"></td><td><p><strong>DALANO BANTON</strong></p></td><td><p>21</p></td><td><p>Univerisity of Nebraska</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>9.6 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 3.9 APG</p></td><td><p>Toronto Raptors</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><img alt="" style="width: 120px; height: 87px;" src="https://cdn.nba.com/headshots/nba/latest/1040x760/1629628.png"></p></td><td><p><strong>RJ BARRETT</strong></p></td><td><p>21</p></td><td><p>New York Knicks</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>17.6 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 3.0 APG</p></td><td><p>New York Knicks</p></td></tr><tr><td><img alt="" style="width: 120px; height: 87px;" src="https://cdn.nba.com/headshots/nba/latest/1040x760/203920.png"></td><td><p><strong>KHEM BIRCH</strong></p></td><td><p>29</p></td><td><p>Orlando Magic/Toronto Raptors</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>7.2 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 1.3 APG</p></td><td><p>Toronto Raptors</p></td></tr><tr><td><img alt="" style="width: 120px; height: 87px;" src="https://cdn.nba.com/headshots/nba/latest/1040x760/1629052.png"></td><td><p><strong>OSHAE BRISSETT</strong></p></td><td><p>23</p></td><td><p>Indiana Pacers</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>10.9 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 0.9 APG</p></td><td><p>Indiana Pacers</p></td></tr><tr><td><img alt="" style="width: 120px; height: 87px;" src="https://cdn.nba.com/headshots/nba/latest/1040x760/1628449.png"></td><td><p><strong>CHRIS BOUCHER^</strong></p></td><td><p>28</p></td><td><p>Toronto Raptors</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>13.6 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 1.1 APG</p></td><td><p>Toronto Raptors</p></td></tr><tr><td><img alt="" style="width: 120px; height: 87px;" src="https://cdn.nba.com/headshots/nba/latest/1040x760/1629649.png"></td><td><p><strong>IGNAS BRAZDEIKIS*</strong></p></td><td><p>22</p></td><td><p>New York Knicks/Philadelphia 76ers/Orlando Magic</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>7.0 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 1.3 APG</p></td><td><p>Orlando Magic</p></td></tr><tr><td><img alt="" style="width: 120px; height: 87px;" src="https://cdn.nba.com/headshots/nba/latest/1040x760/1628415.png"></td><td><p><strong>DILLON BROOKS</strong></p></td><td><p>25</p></td><td><p>Memphis Grizzlies</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>17.2 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 2.3 APG</p></td><td><p>Memphis Grizzlies</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><img alt="" style="width: 120px; height: 87px;" src="https://cdn.nba.com/headshots/nba/latest/1040x760/1629634.png"></p></td><td><p><strong>BRANDON CLARKE</strong></p></td><td><p>25</p></td><td><p>Memphis Grizzlies</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>10.3 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 1.6 APG</p></td><td><p>Memphis Grizzlies</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><img alt="" style="width: 120px; height: 87px;" src="https://cdn.nba.com/headshots/nba/latest/1040x760/1629652.png"></p></td><td><p><strong>LUGUENTZ DORT</strong></p></td><td><p>22</p></td><td><p>Oklahoma City Thunder</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>14.0 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 1.7 APG</p></td><td><p>Oklahoma City Thunder</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><img alt="" style="width: 120px; height: 87px;" src="https://cdn.nba.com/headshots/nba/latest/1040x760/1630537.png"></p></td><td><p><strong>CHRIS DUARTE^</strong></p></td><td><p>24</p></td><td><p>University of Oregon</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>17.1 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 2.7 APG</p></td><td><p>Indiana Pacers</p></td></tr><tr><td><img alt="" style="width: 120px; height: 87px;" src="https://cdn.nba.com/headshots/nba/latest/1040x760/1628983.png"></td><td><p><strong>SHAI GILGEOUS-ALEXANDER</strong></p></td><td><p>23</p></td><td><p>Oklahoma City Thunder</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>23.7 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 5.9 APG</p></td><td><p>Oklahoma City Thunder</p></td></tr><tr><td><img alt="" style="width: 120px; height: 87px;" src="https://cdn.nba.com/headshots/nba/latest/1040x760/202709.png"></td><td><p><strong>CORY JOSEPH</strong></p></td><td><p>30</p></td><td><p>Sacramento Kings/Detroit Pistons</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>8.2 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 3.4 APG</p></td><td><p>Detroit Pistons</p></td></tr><tr><td><img alt="" style="width: 120px; height: 87px;" src="https://cdn.nba.com/headshots/nba/latest/1040x760/1626168.png"></td><td><p><strong>TREY LYLES</strong></p></td><td><p>25</p></td><td><p>San Antonio Spurs</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>5.0 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 0.6 APG</p></td><td><p>Detroit Pistons</p></td></tr><tr><td><img alt="" style="width: 120px; height: 87px;" src="https://cdn.nba.com/headshots/nba/latest/1040x760/1627750.png"></td><td><p><strong>JAMAL MURRAY</strong></p></td><td><p>24</p></td><td><p>Denver Nuggets</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>21.2 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 4.8 APG</p></td><td><p>Denver Nuggets</p></td></tr><tr><td><img alt="" style="width: 120px; height: 87px;" src="https://cdn.nba.com/headshots/nba/latest/1040x760/203482.png"></td><td><p><strong>KELLY OLYNYK</strong></p></td><td><p>30</p></td><td><p>Miami Heat/Houston Rockets</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>13.5 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 2.9 APG</p></td><td><p>Detroit Pistons</p></td></tr><tr><td><img alt="" style="width: 120px; height: 87px;" src="https://cdn.nba.com/headshots/nba/latest/1040x760/1630647.png"></td><td><p><strong>EUGENE OMORUYI*</strong></p></td><td><p>24</p></td><td><p>University of Oregon</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>17.1 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 2.3 APG</p></td><td><p>Dallas Mavericks</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><img alt="" style="width: 120px; height: 87px;" src="https://ak-static.cms.nba.com/wp-content/uploads/headshots/nba/1610612739/2021/260x190/1630698.png"></p></td><td><p><strong>KEVIN PANGOS</strong></p></td><td><p>28</p></td><td><p>Zenit St. Petersburg</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>13.5 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 6.6 APG</p></td><td><p>Cleveland Cavaliers</p></td></tr><tr><td><img alt="" style="width: 120px; height: 87px;" src="https://cdn.nba.com/headshots/nba/latest/1040x760/203939.png"></td><td><p><strong>DWIGHT POWELL</strong></p></td><td><p>30</p></td><td><p>Dallas Mavericks</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>5.9 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 1.1 APG</p></td><td><p>Dallas Mavericks</p></td></tr><tr><td><img alt="" style="width: 120px; height: 87px;" src="https://cdn.nba.com/headshots/nba/latest/1040x760/1630563.png"></td><td><p><strong>JOSH PRIMO</strong></p></td><td><p>18</p></td><td><p>University of Alabama</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>8.1 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 0.8 APG</p></td><td><p>San Antonio Spurs</p></td></tr><tr><td><img alt="" style="width: 120px; height: 87px;" src="https://cdn.nba.com/headshots/nba/latest/1040x760/202684.png"></td><td><p><strong>TRISTAN THOMPSON</strong></p></td><td><p>30</p></td><td><p>Boston Celtics</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>7.6 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 1.2 APG</p></td><td><p>Sacramento Kings</p></td></tr><tr><td><img alt="" style="width: 120px; height: 87px;" src="https://cdn.nba.com/headshots/nba/latest/1040x760/203952.png"></td><td><p><strong>ANDREW WIGGINS</strong></p></td><td><p>26</p></td><td><p>Golden State Warriors</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>18.6 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 2.4 APG</p></td><td><p>Golden State Warriors</p></td></tr></tbody></table>

* Two-way contract

^ Ties to Canada

With files from NBA