Ballers Beyond Borders
International Basketballers Dominating the NBA
A. W. Awad
JOKIC REIGNS: THE MVP AGAIN BELONGS TO SERBIA.
As the dust settles on another captivating season of National Basketball Association (NBA), the most prestigious award in the league has been handed to the Serbian Nikola Jokic (Joker), the MVP award. His third in the last four seasons. The only international player to ever win three MVPs.
The Joker’s unmatched skillset of catapulting threes from behind the ark after being locked-up for 23 seconds and bullying seven-foot giants in the paint, has not only redefined the centre position but has also marked a new era in the league.
The international game.
Jokic’s ascent has not been an isolated phenomenon; rather, it is emblematic of a trend that has slowly been reshaping the NBA over the past decade.
For the first time in NBA history, all three MVP finalists this year (Serbian Nikola Jokic averaging 26 points per game (ppg), 12 rebounds per game (rpg) and 9 assists per game (apg); Canadian Shai Gilgeous-Alexander averaging 30 ppg, 5 rpg and 6 apg; and Slovenian Luka Doncic averaging 34 ppg, 9 rpg and 10 apg) were international players.
L to R: Doncic, Jokic, SGA
In fact, the last six MVP awards have gone to foreign players:
- Serbian Nikola Jokic x 3
- Greek Giannis Antetokounmpo x 2 (consecutively)
- Cameroonian Joel Embiid x 1
“Basketball truly is a global game,” says NBA head of international basketball development Troy Justice.
The long-held narrative of America being the epicentre of professional basketball has now been flipped. The influx of global talent has transformed the NBA into a truly worldwide league, forever altering the landscape of professional basketball.
These players bring a unique style of play that diverges from the typical American style of individual scoring centralised basketball. It has reinvigorated the league and captivated audiences worldwide.
Now, what factors can be attributed to this shift?
The NBA Academy
The NBA Academy was launched in 2016, and it serves as one of the largest catalysts of the globalisation of basketball.
It is a network of elite basketball centres located around the world. Its state-of-the-art facilities have become a crucial pipeline for international talent, providing young players (Including our beloved James O’Donnell) with the opportunities to expose their talent to college coaches and NBA scouts.
NBA Global Camp
Basketball Without Borders (BWB)
Basketball without Borders is an initiative developed by the NBA and International Basketball Federation (FIBA). It depicts itself as a “basketball development and community outreach program that unites young basketball players to promote the sport and encourage positive social change.” The program holds camps in different regions, inviting the top youth basketball players and coaches to participate.
Since its establishment in 2001, it has assisted 113 alumni to play in NBA or Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) games, and there are still 41 active players who are alumni of BWB, including Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Joel Embiid and Jamal Murray.
Joel Embiid
The NBA’s transformation to a truly global basketball organisation has been driven by these initiatives, which have cultivated international talent and promoted the sport on a worldwide scale. Where will this global intrusion of talent lead the NBA next?