Don’t look now, but basketball is becoming an increasingly international game. The United States of America’s stranglehold on the competition may be weakening. For evidence, you don’t need to look any further than the NBA.
In 2021-22, the MVP winner, Nikola Jokic, was Serbian. Moreover, for the first time in history, the next two runner-ups (Joel Embiid and Luka Doncic) were born outside of the United States as well.
Basketball is still America’s game, but the rest of the world may be catching up.
Of course, the Toronto Raptors’ increased relevance in recent years is another contributing factor here. When they won the 2018-19 NBA championship, it was the first time the Larry O’Brien Trophy travelled outside of the U.S.A.’s borders.
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Moreover, every relevant international player isn’t necessarily an MVP candidate. Jordan Clarkson may have been born in the United States, but he proudly represents his Filipino heritage. He’s a great international ambassador for the league, and the game itself.
In some ways, that would make him a fitting Toronto Raptor. Here’s a deal that lands him on the league’s only non-American team.
