We have talked about the NBA as an international competition for a long time. Since the competition began to have a worldwide following, foreigners were first banned (the 80s), then gradually incorporated (the 90s), until in the new century all the barriers to the arrival and role of international players were destroyed. .
The era of Nowitzki, Stojakovic and Gasol
While great talents like Drazen Petrovic, Vlade Divac about Toni Kukoc They came to the NBA to have a leading role in their teams and have a long career, they failed to be the visible face of their teams. Petrovic could have been if the accident had not happened and in the cases of Divac and Kukoc the circumstances that accompanied their careers were not favorable. Divac was in two good teams like Lakers and Kings, where other stars like Magic Johnson or Chris Webber and his character as a team man prevented him from having great individual seasons. Kukoc shared the best years of his career with Jordan, so it was impossible to be the visible face of the franchise.
Today marks the 25th anniversary of the death of Drazen Petrovic, one of the greatest geniuses in basketball history pic.twitter.com/Ea9NrfrtWo
– Pasion Basket (@ Pasion_Basket1) June 7, 2018
But everything changed in the early 2000s. In 1998, a tall German power forward was going to change the style of the NBA forever. Dirk Nowitzki took over the reins of the Dallas Mavericks and managed to lead them to a ring in 2011. MVP of the regular league and Finals, in addition to being the 6th highest scorer in league history. But not only the German monopolized covers. Stojakovic stood out in the Kings of Divac, whom he led as the star of the team (along with Webber) to discuss the preeminence of the Shaq & Kobe couple. For its part, Gasol was the best player for the Grizzlies during his time in Tennessee until he packed his bags to Los Angeles to be Kobe Bryant’s lieutenant in the two rings they won together as Lakers.
Other players of that time like Tony Parker, Steve Nash and Manu Ginobili were very important in an NBA that was receiving more and more talent from other parts of the world.
To celebrate a return of Pau Gasol, let’s do it in a big way! pic.twitter.com/9wbjepYBIL
– Pacojo (@PacojoSER) February 20, 2021
An NBA dominated by non-Americans?
The news this week has been the starting quintets of the All-Star. Four international players are in them: Embiid and Antetokounmpo in the Eastern Conference and Jokic y Doncic in the West. There have never been so many established stars in the NBA’s elite. Embiid is a clear candidate for MVP, an award that Antetokounmpo and Nash (twice) and Nowitzki have won before.
The maximum number of international players in the NBA’s best quintet has been two in one season. This year could be three, although we must see if Doncic or Anteto finally enter, due to the irregular seasons of their teams.
But not the only international stars mentioned above. Pascal Siakam is the Raptors’ anchor, Jamal Murray is Jokic’s lieutenant in Denver, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the hope in Oklahoma, Domantas Sabonis appears as the great reference for Indiana and Gobert is one of the best defenders in the world. The list goes on and on, as all of the named players are young, so their best moments are yet to come. The NBA is more international than ever because it is starred by players of more nationalities than ever.
What a duel
Lillard: 34 points and 11 assists
Doncic: 44 points, 9 assists and 7 reboundsVictoria de @trailblazers pic.twitter.com/cNSSigpfAo
— NBA Spain (@NBAspain) February 15, 2021
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