When former NBA commissioner David Stern, with an assist from FIBA, devised a plan decades ago to open the doors to foreign players, did anyone expect those doors to become … floodgates?

As we introduce the debut of the most hotly debated weekly chart in the game — the Kia Race to the MVP Ladder — the truth of the matter is the game is being enhanced by flourishing foreigners who have elevated the popularity and appetite for the NBA. This was the blueprint when Stern rolled out the welcoming mat to the world.

The purpose was to make the game truly global, much like soccer, and ignite a passion for basketball among young athletes worldwide. It was to give them another athletic option, grow the game, and, most importantly, expand the NBA’s reach.

Well, mission accomplished, and then some.

See Full Page