Gilgeous-Alexander, Jokic, Antetokounmpo: NBA playoffs again a showcase for global stars
About 30 per cent of players represent 44 nations, and in a first, the NBA’s five statistical champions come from five different countries
They will be watching in Canada, not just because of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, though the NBA’s scoring champion and MVP favourite who plays for Oklahoma City surely helps lure in fans who are north of the border.
They will be watching from Serbia and Greece, the homelands of Denver star Nikola Jokic and Milwaukee star Giannis Antetokounmpo, respectively. Alperen Sengun will have them watching Houston games in the middle of the night in Turkey, too.
Slovenian fans will be watching Luka Doncic and the Lakers play their playoff opener at 2.30am on Sunday there, or 5.30pm on Saturday in Los Angeles. Fans in Cameroon will be tuned in to see Pascal Siakam and the Indiana Pacers. Defending champion Boston features, among others, Kristaps Porzingis of Latvia and Al Horford of the Dominican Republic.
Once again, the NBA playoffs are setting up to be a showcase for international stars.
In a season where, in an NBA first, the five statistical champions were from five different countries – Gilgeous-Alexander is Canadian, rebounding champion Domantas Sabonis of Sacramento is from Lithuania, blocked-shots champion Victor Wembanyama of San Antonio is from France, steals champion Dyson Daniels of Atlanta is from Australia, and assists champion Trae Young of the Hawks is from the US – the postseason will have plenty of international feel as well. Gilgeous-Alexander is in, while Sabonis and Daniels could join him if their teams get through the play-in tournament.
“We have a tremendous number of international players in this league,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said earlier this season. “It’s roughly 30 per cent of our players representing, at least on opening day, 43 different countries, so there’s much more of a global sense around our teams.”