The NBA MVP is a coveted award for any basketball player. Basketball was invented in America, and the country has maintained the highest standards as the premier destination for the best basketball players. Basketball has become a global sport, and that appeal has meant that the best players in the NBA are not American-born, at least that has been the trend since 2018. With the MVP award going to another international player this season, the world and America are forced to ask the question: Is America losing its grip on the sport of basketball?
How did the NBA MVP award become dominated by non-American players?
The very first international player to win the MVP award was Hakeem Olajuwon. The Nigerian was the first international player selected as the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft by the Houston Rockets in 1984. He would go on to become one of the most dominant defensive players in history. The Nigerian center became the first international player to win MVP honors in the 93-94 season.
The first European player to dominate the MVP accolades was Dirk Nowitzki. The German-born player came into the league and changed the way the NBA perceived international players’ abilities and potential. Dirk Nowitzki won the NBA MVP award for the 2006-07 regular season. He also won the NBA Finals MVP award in 2011, leading the Dallas Mavericks to their first championship.
The NBA then saw that the international players coming into the league were trained differently than their American counterparts and therefore had a different skill set and approach. This would prove to be an extremely successful approach to the game as the international players began to dominate the NBA. This has become ever more evident in recent years.
International players have dominated the NBA MVP award in recent years
The last American to win the NBA MVP award for the regular season was James Harden way back in 2018 when he was still a Houston Rocket. “The beard” has since seen his performances lacking in comparison to the likes of the MVPs of today. His current team (Los Angeles Clippers) has seen its best players become second-best in a truly global league.
This year’s MVP is the Canadian, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. His consistency and confidence in his (and his teammates’) abilities have been the driving force behind the Oklahoma City Thunder’s playoff run this year. While the regular season MVP award has been wrapped up, the playoffs for the 2025 season are ongoing, and the Playoff MVP is yet to be decided.
The MVP title has been an international affair for the past few seasons. Antetokounmpo won the award in back-to-back seasons following James Harden’s win. The title would then be dominated by the Serbian star Nikola Jokic, with Cameroon-born center Joel Embiid picking up a win in between Jokic’s MVP awards. The American NBA players have a lot of ground to make up.
Who will be the next American to win the coveted NBA MVP award?
That is a tricky one to answer. The talent in the NBA is unquestioned, but that talent seems to be coming from different countries. The international appeal of the NBA has grown over the years, and the global nature of the MVP winners ensures that the game of basketball is becoming truly a global sport. The NBA has big plans to boost the appeal of the organization, no doubt due to the number of non-Americans leading the league in all aspects. The last Canadian player to win the title was Steve Nash. The teams in the NBA will no doubt be on the lookout for the next international star capable of MVP greatness.
