The rise of international NBA players.

The NBA’s international player presence has been growing since the 80s with players like Arvydas Sabonis. But, it wasn’t until the 1990s and 2000s that the influx really begun with players like Yao Ming, Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker and Dirk Nowitski paved a way especially for European players to not only make it to the NBA, but to win MVPs or to be the best player in the NBA at any given point. These players who were able to become stars in the NBA are the reason why the last two number 1 draft picks were from France. They were able to win championships at the highest level and Dirk Nowitski battled against the Heatles, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobli helped create one of the greatest teams of all time. They built a respect and reputation for what international talent could provide to the NBA with all of the players named being astonishing and trademarking moves which are now key to the way players move and score. Their influence is what allowed for the players of today to follow the paths they do.

International talent is respected like it never has been before. Four out of the last ten MVPs were American. This was completely unforeseen and international players like Luka Doncic, Jokic and Giannis have become players we know are the best in the world and we don’t even question that they are international players. It is only leaning further this way with multiple international players being drafted in the last two drafts including both number 1 picks. If we were to ask NBA fans of the 70s if this would ever happen it would be of great interest to see how different the league was then and the opinions towards international basketball.

If those who came before the great players of today hadn’t 1: come to the country and began to play. 2: become great players in the NBA. 3: become MVPs in the NBA. This all meant that now in the modern game there are over 100 international players in the NBA and although not all of them are superstars, they bring a style of basketball and skillset that is different to the American players in the NBA. None of this is possible without globalisation and the sharing of viewpoints and knowledge all over the world has allowed for young international talents to make their dreams come true of playing in the best basketball league in the world.