The NBA has become globalized. The league’s footprint has been expanding for decades.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Some of the game’s greatest players hail from overseas. Both past and present, I should add.<\/p>\n
Houston Rockets legend Hakeem Olajuwon is one of the greatest players in league history. Yao Ming, another franchise legend, is also a legendary talent at the center position.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Both players are Hall of Famers.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Elsewhere, Toni Kukoc is a Hall of Famer. Vlade Divac is a Hall of Famer. Arvydas Sabonis is a Hall of Famer. Dirk Nowitzki.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
The list goes on. And those are all players of yesteryear.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Nowadays, the top players in the NBA are internationally bred.\u00a0 We haven’t had an American-born player take home the MVP award since James Harden won it in 2018.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It’s been Giannis Antetokounmpo (twice), Nikola Jokic (three times), Joel Embiid and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.\u00a0 Luka Doncic hasn’t won one yet either, but he’s already been named a finalist.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The world tournaments have become much more competitive also. The days of the NBA players dominating the world are over.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
This isn’t 1992 anymore.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Again, the game has globalized.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Alot of the American-born NBA players haven’t fully embraced that concept yet. In part, because the masses have created a ‘United States versus the world’ narrative.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rockets center Alperen Sengun, who was born and raised in Turkey, will be a surefire All-Star next month, for his second season in a row.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sengun ranks 16th in assists (6.4), 12th in rebounds (nine boards) and 26th in scoring (21.2 points).\u00a0<\/p>\n
He also ranks 20th in Player Efficiency Rating, which is a summary of a player’s overall contributions per minute.\u00a0<\/p>\n