By David Bruning
No major American sport has focused on expanding its global fingerprint more than the NBA. The foresight of former NBA commissioner David Stern and the global appeal of superstar players such as Michael Jordan, LeBron James and Steph Curry have helped the NBA grow exponentially around the world. NBA basketball is clearly a global sport.
The 1992 USA Olympic basketball team, "The Dream Team," launched the influx of international basketball players. The NBA currently has 108 international players from 42 countries. The Denver Nuggets have been at the forefront of acquiring and developing international basketball players and are being rewarded with success on the basketball court.
The 2018 NBA season is at its midpoint, and the Denver Nuggets are leading the loaded Western Conference. Their core of international players is at the heart of their success. Nikola Jokic of Serbia and Jamal Murray of Canada are the leaders of the surprising Nuggets. Juancho Hernangomez of Spain is another exciting, young player receiving meaningful playing time.
Denver has done a terrific job mining the globe to uncover international basketball players. Dikembe Mutombo, Jusuf Nurkic, Evan Fournier, Rudy Gobert, Danilo Gallinari and Nene Hilario are all foreign players either drafted or developed by the Nuggets. They also drafted Nikolz Tskitishvili of Georgia, perhaps the worst draft pick in Nuggets history. Emmanuel Mudiay is another player who didn’t develop for the Nuggets. It hasn’t all been roses, but the Nuggets clearly have benefited from the infusion of international basketball players.
It is clear the Nuggets understand the importance of scouting international basketball. The Nuggets management team is at the heart of their international success. President of basketball operations Tim Connelly cut his chops as an international scout. General Manager Arturas Karnisovas played for Lithuania against the Dream Team and had an accomplished career in Europe. They are well connected to international basketball and it is reflected in the roster of the Nuggets.
I particularly like the Nuggets presence and approach to foreign players. Denver is a smaller NBA market. As Carmelo Anthony’s forced exit shows, the NBA superstar prefers playing in bigger markets. I feel Denver is a city that is more welcoming to an international player. I also feel those players are more likely to stay in Denver, evidenced by the contract extension signed by Jokic prior to the 2018 season.
Basketball is clearly a global sport. Talented basketball players can be found in almost any country. The Denver Nuggets have built a deep and talented roster that has the potential to win an NBA title. Their ability to unearth and develop international basketball players is a key to reaching that goal. Keep digging Denver.
