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The dynamic Antetokounmpo, who was born in Athens to Nigerian
immigrant parents, delivered a 50-point masterpiece in Game Six
of the Finals to capture the title nL1N2OX06Z that had eluded
the Bucks for so long.
The feat was all the more impressive because it looked like his
season was done when the towering twice league MVP
hyper-extended his left knee in the conference finals.
But he bounced back from the injury and is now a legend in
Sepolia, the run-down Athens neighborhood he grew up in. A giant
mural of Giannis dunking a basketball is painted on the court
where he and his brothers played and practised.
Giannis and brother Thanasis, who also plays on the Bucks,
brought the Larry O'Brien trophy back to Greece during the
off-season and were greeted by throngs of fans.
JOKIC DAZZLES
Jokic's emergence as one of the league's best big men led to a
200% jump in NBA viewership in his home country last season as
his skilful passing and creative scoring made highlight reels on
a nightly basis.
Jokic finished the 2020-21 season ranked in the top five in
total points, rebounds and assists and led his team to the
conference semi-finals.
A second-round pick selected 41st overall by Denver in the 2014
draft, Jokic became the lowest-drafted player to be named MVP
with the exception of three-time MVP Moses Malone, who was not
selected in the draft.
The previous lowest-drafted players to win the award were also
internationals - Antetokounmpo and Canadian Steve Nash, both
selected with the 15th overall pick in their respective drafts.
A record-tying three international players were named to the
2020-21 All-NBA First Team: Antetokounmpo, Jokic and Dallas
Mavericks guard Luka Doncic of Slovenia.
GLOBAL GAME
NBA rosters at the start of the 2021-22 season featured a record
121 international players from 40 countries, marking the eighth
consecutive season opening-night rosters included at least 100
international players.
For the eighth consecutive year, Canada was the most represented
country outside of the United States, followed by Australia,
France and Germany, with seven players each. Nigeria, Serbia,
Spain and Turkey each have five players.
"International players have had a profound impact on the NBA and
the global growth of basketball for decades, but the level of
international talent in the NBA today is at an all-time high,"
NBA Head of International Development Troy Justice told Reuters.
All-Stars like Antetokounmpo, Jokic and Doncic plus Joel Embiid
of Cameroon and Rudy Gobert of France have changed the way the
game is played, Justice said.
"They've captivated fans around the world and inspired the next
generation of young people from their home countries and beyond
to play basketball and pursue their dreams," he said.
(Reporting by Rory Carroll in Los Angeles; Editing by Ken
Ferris)
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