2022 NBA Draft: another strong signal of international basketball's development
MIES (Switzerland) - International basketball has been giving the NBA some of its best and brightest stars for the past few decades with players from overseas competing in All-Star Games, claiming MVP awards and winning titles.
Many say the NBA is now dominated by players from foreign lands. Greece's Giannis Antetokounmpo and Serbia's Nikola Jokic have combined to win the last four MVP awards, while Slovenia's Luka Doncic has been so mesmerizing that he could one day soon be regarded as the best in the league.
If the mission of FIBA and the NBA was to put the top players on the floor in international competition when the USA Dream Team arrived at the Barcelona Olympics and marched to the gold medal, the greater significance was that it had a seismic impact on basketball around the world.
Players from all corners of the globe watched in amazement as Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and the rest of the Dream Team dazzled for the USA. Players were so inspired that they not began to dream of one day becoming superstars on hoops' biggest stages but also began putting in the hard work to have that come to fruition.
Meet Dyson Daniels, the newest two-way floor general of Australia 🇦🇺 and now also the @PelicansNBA 💪
— FIBA (@FIBA) June 24, 2022
Daniels got drafted with the #8 pick of the NBA Draft last night and his skill-set is highly promising! 💦 pic.twitter.com/8vk03nZ35a
The result has been that players from all continents are now in the NBA, competing in leading domestic leagues and continental competitions, and also representing national teams.
Nowadays, many top prospects show off their wares at NBA/FIBA Basketball Without Borders camps and also with clubs and NCAA sides, and are selected by teams, like several in this year's draft.
Andrew Nembhard with Canada at FIBA 2019 World Cup
| Player | Team | Basketball Without Border |
| Bennedict Maturin (CAN) | Indiana | 2019 BWB Americas |
| Andrew Nembhard (CAN) | Indiana | 2017 BWB Global |
| Christian Koloko (CMR) | Toronto | 2017 BWB Africa; 2018 BWB Global |
| Gabriele Procida (ITA) | Portland | 2019 BWB Europe |
| Khalifa Diop (SEN) | Cleveland | 2018 BWB Africa; 2019 BWB Global |
| Karlo Matkovic (CRO) | New Orleans | 2018 BWB Europe |
| Gui Santos (BRA) | Golden State | 2019 BWB Americas |
Others demonstrate their potential value for club sides and in national team programs.
At FIBA Basketball World Cups, Continental Championships or during qualifying windows, you are sure to find somewhere up-and-coming players that aren't far off from becoming NBA draft picks or signings.
Numerous picks in Wednesday's draft have suited up for youth national teams and some have even donned the jerseys of their senior national sides, playing in competitive, meaningful games.
| Other International Players | Team | National Team Event |
| No. 7 Shaedon Sharpe (CAN) | Portland | 2019 U16 Americas |
| No.8 Dyson Daniels (AUS) | New Orleans | 2018 U15 Oceania; 2021 Asia Cup Qualifiers; 2021 U19 World Cup |
| No. 9 Jeremy Sochan (POL) | San Antonio | 2018 U16 European Championship; 2019 U16 European Championship; EuroBasket 2022 Qualifiers in 2021 |
| No. 11 Ousmane Dieng (FRA) | New York | 2019 U16 European Championship |
| No. 27 Nikola Jovic (SER) | Miami | 2021 U19 World Cup; World Cup 2023 European Qualifiers in 2021/22 |
| No.32 Caleb Houstan (CAN) | Orlando | 2018 U17 World Cup; 2019 U16 Americas; 2021 U19 World Cup |
| No. 43 Moussa Diabate (FRA) | Los Angeles Clippers | 2018 U16 Europe; 2019 U18 Europe |
| No. 46 Ismael Kamagate (FRA) | Detroit Pistons | 2019 U18 Europe; 2021 U20 European Challengers |
| No. 50. Matteo Spagnolo (ITA) | Minnesota | 2018 U16 European Championship; 2019 U16 European Championship, 2021 EuroBasket 2022 Qualifiers; 2021 U20 European Challengers; 2022 World Cup 2023 European Qualifiers |
| No. 54 Yannick Nzosa (COD) | Washington | Never played for national team |
| No. 56. Luke Travers (AUS) | Cleveland | 2018 U16 Asia Cup ; 2018 U17 World Cup |
So as international basketball fans held their collective breath, watched up-and-coming stars be picked by NBA teams in Thursday night's draft and then celebrated, they once again had something confirmed. Basketball is improving everywhere on the planet.
The draft remains a perfect barometer of how good, and how valued the talent is not only in the United States of America, but in international basketball as well.
FIBA
