The Rise of International Talent in the NBA
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The increase in basketball talent outside of the United States has become especially apparent this season in the NBA. The league has always had talented international players, but this year encapsulates a trend toward the globalization of the game and the vast amount of talent from all across the world.
It’s been incredible to watch and see the growth of international players in the NBA in recent seasons. Looking at the top players in the league, four of the leading Most Valuable Player (MVP) candidates this season are all international players in Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece), Nikola Jokic (Serbia), Luka Doncic (Slovenia), and Joel Embiid (Cameroon). Antetokounmpo and Jokic have each won an MVP twice, and Jokic is looking to become the fourth player to win the award in three consecutive seasons if he can win another MVP this year.
Doncic and Embiid have already proven themselves to be generational talents as well. While there haven’t been too many international superstars in the history of the NBA, those days might be over as the popularity and talent of international players are catching up.
Will Jokic win his third consecutive MVP this season? (Isaiah J. Downing / USA TODAY Sports)
Only a select few other international players have won MVPs throughout the league’s history: Hakeem Olajuwon in 1993-94 (Nigeria), Tim Duncan in 2001-02 and 2002-03 (U.S. Virgin Islands), Steve Nash in 2004-05 and 2005-06 (Canada), and Dirk Nowitzki in 2006-07 (Germany). This shows that while there have only been four retired players to win an MVP, there are at least four active players that either have or likely will win the award over their careers.
Many other international players have found success and a role in the NBA. There are 14 active international players who have been All-Stars. Every team in the league features at least one international player while opening night rosters this season featured 120 international players from 40 countries and six continents. The Raptors lead the league with eight international players, a fitting coincidence as they’re the only NBA team in Canada. The talent is apparent throughout the league and at all different ages.
There are plenty of other notable international players around the league. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Canada) is having a career year for the Oklahoma City Thunder, averaging over 30 points per game. Deandre Ayton (Bahamas) has been a very solid player for the Phoenix Suns after being selected first overall in the 2018 NBA Draft. Domantas Sabonis (Lithuania) does just about everything for the current number four team in the West, the Sacramento Kings.
He has been key to their success after being traded to the team last season and leads the NBA in rebounds at 12.6 per game. With so many talented players across the league, it’s hard to pick just a few to highlight how talented the international pool of players truly is.
As for the future, the upcoming draft class features one of the most coveted draft prospects in years in Victor Wembanyama. The 7-4 center is from France, and while he’s only 19 years old, Wembanyama is already considered one of the best players of his generation.
With incredible ball-handling and shooting ability for his size, Wembanyama embodies the game’s evolution both in his play style and his rise and upbringing as an international prospect.
Whenever you turn on an NBA game, chances are there will be at least one international player on the court. This international talent and growth are great for the future of the NBA as the game expands globally. It gets more people involved and interested, and the league benefits from this as well, both from a financial and entertainment perspective. It will be fascinating to see how this international trend continues the globalization of the game.
