Tokyo Olympics: Record 121 NBA and WNBA players to compete in Olympic Games

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Tokyo Olympics: Record 121 NBA and WNBA players to compete in Olympic Games image

NEW YORK, July 24, 2021 – A record 121 NBA and WNBA players are featured on national team rosters for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.  The men’s and women’s 5x5 competitions will feature a record 49 current NBA players and a record 29 current WNBA players, as well as 16 former NBA and 22 former WNBA players.  The inaugural 3x3 basketball tournament features four current and one former WNBA player.

The previous records for current NBA and WNBA players in the Olympics were 46 and 26, respectively, at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Outside of the U.S., Nigeria has the most current NBA players on its roster with eight, followed by Australia with seven and France with six.  Eleven of the 12 teams competing in the men’s tournament have at least one current NBA player, and national team rosters include 13 players who have been NBA All-Stars.

Twenty-seven NBA teams are represented in the men’s 5x5 competition, with the Miami Heat featuring a league-high four players.  The Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, Milwaukee Bucks and Utah Jazz each have three players competing.

In the women’s 5x5 competition, outside the U.S., Australia has the most current WNBA players with five followed by Canada and Spain with three each.  Eight of the 12 teams in the women’s tournament have at least one current WNBA player, and 10 of the 12 WNBA teams are represented on national team rosters.  The Phoenix Mercury and Seattle Storm lead with five players each, followed by the Minnesota Lynx with four players.

The inaugural women’s 3x3 basketball tournament is being held from July 24-28 and features five current and former WNBA players.

In addition, 29 players on Olympic rosters have NBA G League experience, including a league-high six on Nigeria.  France and Japan each feature four players who played in the NBA’s official minor league.

Francisco Cáffaro of the Argentina Men’s National Team and Han Xu of the China Women’s National Team become the first NBA Academy participants to make an Olympic roster.  Cáffaro, who was a member of the University of Virginia’s NCAA championship team in 2019, attended NBA Global Academy in Canberra, Australia.  Han, who attended NBA Academy Shandong in China, became the first NBA Academy participant to be drafted into the WNBA or NBA when she was selected 14th overall in the 2019 WNBA Draft.

In addition, 45 players on Olympic men’s and women’s rosters participated in Basketball Without Borders (BWB), including Danilo Gallinari (Atlanta Hawks; Italy; BWB Europe 2003), Han (New York Liberty; China; BWB Global 2018), Marc Gasol (Los Angeles Lakers; Spain; BWB Europe 2003) and Rui Hachimura (Washington Wizards; Japan; BWB Global 2016).  BWB is the NBA and FIBA’s global basketball development and community outreach program that has seen 79 former campers drafted into the NBA or signed as free agents since 2001 and five former campers drafted into the WNBA since 2019.

*Rosters as of July 24, 2021 (all rosters subject to change)

Current NBA players on Olympic 5x5 rosters
Country First Name Last Name NBA Team
Argentina Facundo Campazzo* Denver Nuggets
Argentina Gabriel Deck* Oklahoma City Thunder
Argentina Luca Vildoza* New York Knicks
Australia Aron Baynes Toronto Raptors
Australia Matthew Dellavedova Cleveland Cavaliers**
Australia Dante Exum Houston Rockets
Australia Josh Green* Dallas Mavericks
Australia Joe Ingles Utah Jazz
Australia Patty Mills San Antonio Spurs
Australia Matisse Thybulle Philadelphia 76ers
Czech Republic Tomas Satoransky* Chicago Bulls
France Nicolas Batum* Free Agent
France Evan Fournier Boston Celtics
France Rudy Gobert Utah Jazz
France Frank Ntilikina* New York Knicks
France Vincent Poirier Philadelphia 76ers**
Germany Isaac Bonga* Washington Wizards
Germany Moritz Wagner Orlando Magic
Italy Danilo Gallinari* Atlanta Hawks
Italy Nico Mannion Golden State Warriors
Italy Nicolò Melli Dallas Mavericks**
Japan Rui Hachimura* Washington Wizards
Japan Yuta Watanabe Toronto Raptors
Nigeria Precious Achiuwa Miami Heat
Nigeria Chimezie Metu Sacramento Kings
Nigeria Jordan Nwora Milwaukee Bucks
Nigeria Jahlil Okafor Detroit Pistons
Nigeria Josh Okogie Minnesota Timberwolves
Nigeria KZ Okpala Miami Heat
Nigeria Miye Oni Utah Jazz
Nigeria Nnamdi Vincent Miami Heat
Slovenia Vlatko Čančar Denver Nuggets
Slovenia Luka Dončić Dallas Mavericks
Spain Marc Gasol* Los Angeles Lakers
Spain Willy Hernangómez* New Orleans Pelicans
Spain Ricky Rubio Minnesota Timberwolves
United States Bam Adebayo Miami Heat
United States Devin Booker Phoenix Suns
United States Kevin Durant Brooklyn Nets
United States Jerami Grant Detroit Pistons
United States Draymond Green Golden State Warriors
United States Jrue Holiday Milwaukee Bucks
United States Keldon Johnson San Antonio Spurs
United States Zach LaVine Chicago Bulls
United States Damian Lillard Portland Trail Blazers
United States JaVale McGee Denver Nuggets
United States Khris Middleton Milwaukee Bucks
United States Jayson Tatum Boston Celtics

*Participated in Basketball Without Borders (BWB)

**Appeared on an NBA roster during 2020-21 season 

Former NBA players on Olympic 5x5 rosters
Country First Name Last Name
Argentina Nicolás Brussino
Argentina Patricio Garino•
Argentina Nicolás Laptovittola
Argentina Luis  Scola
Czech Republic Jan Vesely
France Nando De Colo
France Guerschon Yabusele
Iran Hamed Haddadi
Nigeria Ekpe Udoh
Slovenia Zoran Drragic
Slovenia Mike Tobey
Spain Alex Abrines
Spain Victor Claver*
Spain Rudy Fernández
Spain Pau Gasol
Spain Sergio Rodríguez*

*Participated in Basketball Without Borders (BWB) 

Current WNBA players on Olympic 5x5 rosters
Country First Name Last Name NBA Team
Australia Rebecca Allen New York Liberty
Australia Ezi Magbegor* Seattle Storm
Australia Leilani Mitchell Washington Mystics
Australia Alanna Smith Phoenix Mercury
Australia Stephanie Talbot Seattle Storm
Belgium Julie Allemand Indiana Fever**
Belgium Emma Meesseman Free Agent
Canada Natalie Achonwa Minnesota Lynx
Canada Bridget Carleton Minnesota Lynx
Canada Kia Nurse Phoenix Mercury
China Xu Han* New York Liberty**
France Marine Jonanes New York Liberty**
France Gabby Williams Los Angeles Sparks**
Republic of Korea JiSu Park Las Vegas Aces
Spain Maite Cazorla Atlanta Dream**
Spain Maria Conde Chicago Sky**
Spain Astou Ndour Chicago Sky
United States Ariel Atkins Washington Mystics
United States Sue Bird Seattle Storm
United States Tina Charles Washington Mystics
United States Napheesa Collier Minnesota Lynx
United States Skylar Diggins-Smith Phoenix Mercury
United States Sylvia Fowles Minnesota Lynx
United States Chelsea Gray Las Vegas Aces
United States Brittney Griner Phoenix Mercury
United States Jewell Loyd Seattle Storm
United States Breanna Stewart Seattle Storm
United States Diana Taurasi Phoenix Mercury
United States A'ja Wilson Las Vegas Aces

*Participated in Basketball Without Borders (BWB)
**Under contract with WNBA team but did not report to training camp this season 

Former WNBA players on Olympic 5x5 rosters
Country First Name Last Name
Australia Cayla George
Australia Tess Magden
Australia Jenna O'Hea
Australia Marianna Tolo
Belgium Kim Mestdagh
Belgium Ann Wauters
Canada Kayla Alexander
Canada Miranda Ayim
Canada Nirra Fields
Canada Kim Gaucher
Canada Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe
China Ting Shao
France Sandrine Gruda
France Endy Miyem
Nigeria Adaora Elonu
Nigeria Ify Ibekwe
Nigeria Victoria Macaulay
Puerto Rico Jazmon Gwathmey
Puerto Rico Jennifer O'Neill
Serbia Jelena Brooks
Serbia Ana Dabovic
Serbia Sonja Vasic

 

Current WNBA players on Olympic 3x3 rosters
Country First Name Last Name NBA Team
United States Stefanie Dolson Chicago Sky
United States Allisha Gray Dallas Wings
United States Kelsey Plum Las Vegas Aces
United States Jackie  Young Las Vegas Aces

 

Former WNBA players on Olympic 3x3 rosters
Country First Name Last Name
Romania Gabriela Marginean

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