By Gordon Simpson

The NBA: a shining beacon of American sport and an integral part of American culture has now been transformed into a shining beacon of international sport and has become a part of international culture. In essence we have witnessed the birth of the Inter-National Basketball League.

Not long ago you could have asked even the NBA's greatest devotee to run off a list of talented international players and you would have been presented with a very short list. However, ask the same question today and expect a fairly large list and it would be a very impressive one too, because basketball's talent pool now reaches far beyond the borders of the United States of America.

German-born Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks is currently leading the international assault on the NBA. The 7-footer has one of the most graceful and silky looking jump-shots that has ever been seen on the hardwood floors and was a serious force in the NBA this year, attaining the level of superstar which is not an honour that international players often have bestowed on them. Nowitzki quietly goes about his business in a methodical and efficient manner and most importantly for the NBA, spreading the appeal of the league and basketball in general further across the globe.

Nowitzki does not represent the only international talent at the premier end of the NBA. He is joined by Serbian Peja Stojakovic of the Sacramento Kings, who is widely recognised as one of the great 3-point shooters in the world and is a key player on one of the league's elite teams. Stojakovic's countryman and team-mate, Vlade Divac, has long been a representation of the kind of quality that can come from the international community.

The NBA is no longer just a sport for American's to enjoy and is becoming an international phenomenon not only in terms of the players, but also the fans. Stories come out every year of international fans watching games at ridiculous hours of the morning just so they can catch a glimpse of their country's proud representatives, even in fairly meaningless regular season games. Such devotion shows that the NBA is fast becoming a top international sport and its reach stretches further every year.

The appeal generated by such players has led to the game of basketball becoming an internationally renowned sport and as such more and more youngsters are taking up the game across the globe, and especially in Europe. Although stars such as Michael Jordan were known throughout the world, having a player from your country competing in the NBA provides a real connection to the game of basketball and also a sense of pride. The NBA often had a perception, fairly or falsely, that it was impossible to break into from outside America, but, as that has changed, a growing influx of young international players has been seen. Players such as Tony Parker from France or Pau Gasol from Spain are testament to this and the trend is only going to get stronger in the coming years.

The NBA will always be associated with the United States of America, but it now has a vastly increasing number of countries linked into those three letters and for many youngsters living in poor countries it is a heart-warming feeling to know that a fellow countryman has beaten the odds and worked their way into the NBA and this provides hope for many of those youngsters, some of which may be gracing an arena near you before long.


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