NBA Finals fun fact proves USA is not the basketball powerhouse it once was

Twenty years ago, the world was an entirely different place. Dial-up internet, landline phones, and tube television sets were all commonplace. With rapid technological growth, the world has become more connected than ever before. Globalism has affected every industry, and its impact is more prevalent in the NBA now than ever before.

The 2023-24 NBA season featured 125 international players from 40 countries and territories on opening-day rosters, surpassing a record previously set at the start of the 2021-22 season. It was the 10th consecutive season with at least 100 international players, but only the third consecutive season with at least 120 international players. All 30 NBA teams had at least one international player on their roster.

Most of the international players are from Canada (26), followed by France (14), Australia (nine), Serbia (seven), and Germany (six). Nigeria and Turkey were both represented by five players each. In total, six different continents were represented.

There are 13 international players suiting up for the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks in the 2024 NBA Finals. The number surpasses the previous record of 10 international players, which was set by the San Antonio Spurs and Miami Heat in 2013.

Boston has five international players on their roster. Canada, Dominican Republic, Ukraine, Latvia, and Portugal are all represented on the Celtics roster, with one player representing each each of the five countries or territory

Dallas hosts eight international players on their roster. The Mavericks are led by superstar point guard Luka Dončić, a Slovenia native. Australia and Canada are each represented by three players, while one player hails from Germany.

Boston centers Kristaps Porziņģis and Al Horford have played pivotal roles in the Celtics postseason run. The two best players on the Mavericks roster are both international players. Dallas likely wouldn’t have even made it to the postseason without Dončić and Australia’s Kyrie Irving.

It was once believed that the United States produced the most talented basketball players in the world. As more countries across the world have learned about the NBA and had the resources to participate in the sport, it’s becoming evident that the United States is not the basketball powerhouse it once was.

The last six NBA Most Valuable Player awards have all been won by three international players — Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić, Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid, and Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo. Even San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembenyama, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, is from France.

Here’s a look at the international players in the NBA Finals.