When the Sacramento Kings and Memphis Grizzlies take the floor tonight for their first game of the 2009-10 season, it will be especially significant for the countries of Israel and Tanzania.

Joining Pepe Sánchez (Argentina), Wang Zhizhi (China), Šarūnas Marčiulionis (Lithuania), and others, rookies Omri Casspi (Israel) and Hasheem Thabeet (Tanzania) will be their countries’ first ever representative in an NBA regular season game.

Hasheem Thabeet, Tanzania
Hasheem Thabeet joins two other international centers on the Grizzlies roster, Marc Gasol of Spain and Hamed Haddadi of Iran. Haddadi was the first Iranian in the NBA.

Thabeet, the #2 overall selection in this year’s NBA draft, will likely play a reserve role behind Gasol after a rough preseason. Nevertheless, after a long journey, the 7-3 center from UCONN will become Tanzania’s first ever NBA player.

Omri Casspi, Israel
The Sacramento Kings will take on the Oklahoma City Thunder tonight and Omri Casspi, the 21-year old forward who averaged 11.7 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 52% from three-point range, will become the first Israeli in the NBA.

“He’s shown some real good ability to belong out there,” Kings’ Coach Paul Westphal told the Sacramento Bee. “(Casspi’s) somebody that doesn’t recognize limitations, and he’s willing to pay the price to achieve his goals.”

Jonas Jerebko, Sweden
Jonas Jerebko of Sweden could have joined the list tonight, but the rookie will miss the Detroit Pistons’s opener vs. Thabeet’s Memphis Grizzlies due to a one-game suspension for fighting with Canada’s Jamaal Magloire.

Instead, Jerebko will be the first Swede to play in the NBA when the Pistons take on the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday, October 30th.