The NBA has always been defined by the stars that play the game. From Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, to Michael Jordan, to Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan, to LeBron James and Steph Curry. Every era has its own giants. Yet, former NBA champion Tyson Chandler believes that today’s game belongs to a different kind of superstar, one that reflects the global growth of basketball.
As an NBA champion and a Defensive Player of the Year award winner, Chandler can recognize greatness when he sees it. Recently, he talked about the impact of the new global stars on the league and the global evolution of the NBA.
Former Champion Discusses the NBA’s Global Evolution
Some people in the United States might see that evolution as a danger to American young stars. But the reality is that players like Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic, and Giannis Antetokounmpo have helped grow the game beyond the US borders. In a recent interview, Chandler said:
“They’re incredible for our game. They are brilliant to watch. All their games are beautiful and different. And I love what it’s doing for the competition in the game. Now, there are a lot of internationals in the top 15. That is a beautiful thing because it helps evolve the game. Jokic plays the game differently than anybody we’ve ever seen. Luka plays differently. The game continues to evolve. I think the game needs to be global, because who knows where that artist, that athlete that inspires the next generation, comes from.”
Looking at past MVPs, an American-born player hasn’t won it since the 2017-18 season (James Harden). Since then, Giannis and Jokic have dominated, with Joel Embiid (born in Cameroon), and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander(born in Canada) each winning it once.
If we look even deeper into the best players, international stars have dominated the All-NBA teams as well. This season, three of the five players on the All-NBA first team were international stars. In 2022-23 and 2023-24, that number was four out of five.
The NBA Needs Europe As Much as Europe Needs the NBA
With the EuroBasket approaching, it is clear that the NBA and Europe need each other. The biggest stars on European teams play in the NBA. The NBA needs the big European markets to grow its fan base.
The rise of international stars plays a massive role in expanding the league’s global reach. Luka, Jokic, and Giannis bring with them entire fan bases from their home countries and inspire young athletes worldwide. During his time with the Dallas Mavericks, Luka hosted a Slovenian night once every year. He flew fans from Slovenia to watch him play. We will see whether that tradition continues with the Lakers.
The NBA is trying to expand in Europe, with the idea of an NBA Europe league rumored for a while. There are benefits for everyone involved if that ever happens. The NBA brings money and revenue, something that the biggest teams in Europe lack. And the NBA needs international stars to continue evolving the game. Ten years ago, who would have thought that a fat, young player from Serbia would grow into the best player in the league and change the way players look at the game with his laid-back, yet competitive style?
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