11 Dyson Daniels (AUS)
24/06/2022
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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.

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