Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets is once again the NBA MVP.
The big man was named the Most Valuable Player of the league on Monday after months of rumors and speculation.
Jokic’s selection was obviously a huge deal for the team but was also a major moment for international NBA players too.
The Joker is the @nba's MVP once again, sources tell @wojespn 👏
This is the fourth consecutive season an international player has won the award. pic.twitter.com/4LIdd07rlX
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 9, 2022
With Jokic’s triumph, it marks the fourth consecutive season that an international player has won the award.
Before Jokic’s two winning seasons, Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks won two MVPs back-to-back too.
This just shows how important international players have become for the league.
The NBA is no longer simply the National Basketball Association – it’s definitely international.
A Worldwide Game
While Jokic took the honors, it is important to note that the two likely runner-ups also hail from other countries.
Antetokounmpo was in the running to get MVP as was Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers.
But these aren’t the only foreign-born players making serious noise in the league.
There are more international players than ever before – and that’s not a surprise.
For decades now, the NBA has been reaching out and trying to raise basketball awareness across the globe.
The game has more of a global reach than ever before and it’s inspiring players from every corner of the world.
Don’t expect this trend to stop anytime soon, either.
The NBA is only stepping up its presence in the world.
In the years ahead, they are planning to play more games overseas and impress and attract even more global fans.
That means that more and more international players will be coming to the league in the future.
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