How Many Players Are In The NBA: Total, International and Stats By Team and Country
Do you ever wonder how many players are in the NBA at a given time? With 450 player slots spread across 30 teams, you may think the number of NBA players each season would be a slam dunk (see what I did there) to calculate.
This article will break down the teams in the NBA, including how many players are on each team, and the total number of players that play each season. We’ll also look at some interesting statistics about the league.
How Many Players Were In The NBA For The 2020-21 Season
During the 2020-21 season, there were 540 players who played in the NBA. The league allows teams to carry 15 players on their roster during the regular season but when you consider players that moved in and out of the league you get to a larger number.
The NBA moves players in and out of the league all the time. In addition, they opened up more roster spots for the COVID-ridden 2020-21 season.
Let’s go one step further and see how many total players have played in the NBA for all time.
Total NBA Players In League History
The NBA has had 4,000+ players in the league since its start in 1946. Here are some interesting statistics about some of those players:
Players In NBA History Who Played 20 Seasons Or More
There are 8 players in NBA history that have played more than 20 seasons. The table below highlights the players that have played at 20 seasons or more in the NBA. It is an impressive list of players as you can see.
| Player | Seasons | Total Games |
| Vince Carter | 22 | 1,541 |
| Kevin Garnet | 21 | 1,462 |
| Dirk Nowitski | 21 | 1,522 |
| Robert Parish | 21 | 1,611 |
| Kevin Willis | 21 | 1,424 |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 20 | 1,560 |
| Kobe Bryant | 20 | 1,346 |
| Jamal Crawford | 20 | 1,327 |
Here are some players that are climbing the charts quickly but still haven’t hit the 20 season mark according to StatMuse.com:
19 Seasons
Carmelo Anthony – 1,331 games
LeBron James – 1,623 games
Udonis Haslem – 1,015 games
18 Seasons
Trevor Ariza – 1,222 games
Dwight Howard – 1,354 games
Andre Iguodala – 1,388 games
NBA Roster Reporting Categories
- Official: These players are officially under contract on guaranteed deals with an NBA team.
- Reported: These are players whose contract agreements have been reported but are not yet official. They may or may not become official.
- 10-day: These are players signed to 10-day contracts that will expire.
- Two-way: Players signed to two-way contracts are official but not guranteed. They can be cut at any time.
- Total: This is a team’s total roster count using all of the above categorizations
How Many NBA Players Win A Title
Only 11% of NBA players NBA winners are among the most exclusive people in the league. As of 2017, only about 10% of players have ever won an NBA title. This is an incredible group to be a part of, no matter which player you were. Whether you were the Finals MVP or never saw the court throughout the Playoffs, winning this title would make the experience unmatched.
Who Has Played The Most NBA Seasons
Vince Carter, famous for his high-flying dunks early in his career, was in the NBA for two more decades after that. Here are some facts about this career:
- Won Rookie of the Year
- Played through two NBA lockouts
- Nicknamed “Half Man Half Amazing”
- Vince Carter played with or against 1,672 players in the NBA
- Never made it to the NBA Finals
Vince Carter’s TOP 50 Plays
Vince Carter was born in 1977 and played for the North Carolina Tar Heels from 1996 to 1998. He entered the NBA in 1998 and will be remembered for his longevity in the league and the way he changed his game as he aged to stay relevant and effective.
How Many International Players are in the NBA?
According to this NBA article, there are 109 international players from 39 different countries.
The National Basketball Association (NBA) today announced that 109 international players from 39 countries are on opening-night rosters for its landmark 75th Anniversary Season, including a record number of players from Canada (18), Germany (seven) and the Bahamas (three), and a record-tying number of players from Nigeria (five). The Toronto Raptors lead the league with a record-tying 10 international players from a record nine countries on opening-night rosters.
NBA.com
Here are some stats breaking down international NBA players by country and by the team.
Number of International NBA Players By Country
| Country | Number of NBA Players |
| Angola | 1 |
| Argentina | 3 |
| Australia | 7 |
| Austria | 1 |
| Bahamas | 3 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1 |
| Brazil | 2 |
| Cameroon | 2 |
| Canada | 18 |
| Croatia | 3 |
| Czech Republic | 2 |
| The Democratic Republic of the Congo | 1 |
| Dominican Republic | 2 |
| Egypt | 1 |
| Finland | 1 |
| France | 7 |
| Georgia | 1 |
| Germany | 7 |
| Greece | 3 |
| Israel | 1 |
| Italy | 1 |
| Jamaica | 1 |
| Japan | 2 |
| Latvia | 2 |
| Lithuania | 2 |
| Montenegro | 2 |
| New Zealand | 1 |
| Nigeria | 5 |
| Republic of the Congo | 1 |
| Senegal | 1 |
| Serbia | 5 |
| Slovenia | 3 |
| Spain | 5 |
| St. Lucia | 1 |
| Sudan | 1 |
| Switzerland | 1 |
| Turkey | 5 |
| Ukraine | 2 |
| United Kingdom | 1 |
| Grand Total | 109 |
Number of International NBA Players By Team
| NBA Team | Number of International Players |
| Atlanta Hawks | 5 |
| Boston Celtics | 5 |
| Brooklyn Nets | 2 |
| Charlotte Hornets | 2 |
| Chicago Bulls | 2 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | 4 |
| Dallas Mavericks | 7 |
| Denver Nuggets | 5 |
| Detroit Pistons | 4 |
| Golden State Warriors | 3 |
| Houston Rockets | 3 |
| Indiana Pacers | 4 |
| LA Clippers | 4 |
| Memphis Grizzlies | 4 |
| Miami Heat | 1 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | 3 |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | 2 |
| New Orleans Pelicans | 5 |
| New York Knicks | 2 |
| Oklahoma City Thunder | 7 |
| Orlando Magic | 2 |
| Philadelphia 76ers | 4 |
| Phoenix Suns | 3 |
| Portland Trail Blazers | 1 |
| Sacramento Kings | 4 |
| San Antonio Spurs | 3 |
| Toronto Raptors | 10 |
| Utah Jazz | 4 |
| Washington Wizards | 4 |
| Grand Total | 109 |
Conclusion
Out of the 7.6 billion people on earth, only about 500 play in the NBA. If you ever wondered what the odds of playing in the NBA are at any given time some quick math tells us the probability is 0.000006578946935595597%. That is definitely not in the average aspiring basketball player’s favor. It does make you understand how gifted NBA players are.
Troy Wright
I am a lifetime basketball enthusiast and loved playing basketball competitively through high school. I still try and play at least 3 times a week and explore all kinds of equipment and training to keep myself on the court and continually getting better. I am a college basketball fanatic and move onto the NBA when March Madness ends.
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