REGENSBURG (David Hein's Eye on the Future) - Quick, which country has the highest number of international players in the NBA.

France?

Not bad - Tony Parker, Boris Diaw and Co. have 10 Frenchmen representing Les Bleus in the NBA. But they have the second most.

Spain?

Nah, most of their second-level stars - Rudy Fernandez, Sergio Llull and Sergio Rodriguez - are in Spain. Espana only have five NBA players. Heck, Australia have more with eight and Brazil are fourth with seven players.

No, the answer is Canada - with 12. One could probably argue it's really only 11 considering Steve Nash is out for the season with a back injury. But the list released by the NBA on opening night included the Los Angeles Lakers veteran.

Nash was one of a record 101 international players from 37 countries and territories - up from last year's record of 92.

The total number has more than doubled since 2000-01 when there were 45 internationals and nearly quintupled since 1990-91 when 21 internationals were on NBA rosters.

Of course the San Antonio Spurs lead the way as the team with the most international players with nine, followed by the Minnesota Timberwolves and Brooklyn Nets with six each while the Golden State Warriors have five.

Okay, but this is a column about youth basketball. Where is this going?

Well, look at the average age of those Canadians - 24.5 years.

Take away the 40-year-old Nash and it drops to 23.1. And then if you omit the 32-year-old Joel Anthony, that average age drops all the way down to 22.2 - with four players 21 years or younger, including 2014 NBA Draft top overall pick Andrew Wiggins with the T-Wolves.

Wiggins was one of three Canadian players selected in the first round of the 2014 NBA Draft - along with Nik Stauskas of the Sacramento Kings and Tyler Ennis by the Phoenix Suns.

And Dwight Powell made the Boston Celtics roster as a second round pick.

There was almost a 13th Canadian but Sacramento cut the giant Canadian-Indian center Sim Bhullar a week before the season started.

But it's clear to see that the Canadian youth movement is having an impact with so many young players from north of the United States already making their mark. And there are more to come.

Depending on injuries, Bhullar might just make a squad this season while 18-year-old Trey Lyles is expected to be a first round draft pick out of Kentucky and 20-year-old Xavier Rathan-Mayes could improve his draft stock this season at Florida State after missing last season due to academic ineligibility.

Further down the road are guys like Marial Shayok from the 1995 generation; Chris Egi and Dillon Brooks from the 1996 generation and the dynamic 1997 born duo of Jamal Murray and Justin Jackson.

So, can France catch the Canadians?

Well, it's possible. They do have the likes of Boris Dallo, Mou Jaiteh, Livio Jean-Charles, Leo Westermann and Isaia Cordinier coming before too much longer.

But one things seems certain - don't expect that 101 internationals record to last more than one season.

David Hein

FIBA 

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