"I didn't watch much basketball on TV until I started playing at 13, so can relate to coming upon something new and exciting. At the same time, the world's so small now with social media access. But it is interesting to go to parts of the world where basketball is smaller and see how can we make the game accessible to them."
"Europeans have always been quite good. It's not like Serbia wasn't always great at basketball but, as the game has grown, the possibilities grow. The world gets smaller with the internet and social media. There's not as much difference; everyone has access to all the pertinent information. The NBA is more accessible nowadays to people from Europe, Africa and every corner of the world."
"It was anticipated. It's been very gradual, from 1992 with the Dream Team. I'm sure it was growing before that, and that was just an inflection point, but it was a moment in time. Since then, there has been a steady growth of overseas players in the NBA and of markets becoming more interested. So we could see it forming, but it truly is spread around the world now."
Growing up outside basketball's mainstream on Vancouver Island with English parents can foster appreciation for how people in cities like London or Berlin react when an NBA game arrives. Late exposure to the sport—starting to play at 13—parallels newcomer excitement. Social media and the internet have shrunk the world and increased access to basketball. The NBA now features 135 players from 43 countries, up from 7% in 1992 to 24% now, and overseas player presence has grown steadily since the 1992 Dream Team. Expanded accessibility has created more opportunities for Europeans, Africans and players from around the world.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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