The Canadian viewership will be significant, fueled not only by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, whose status as the NBA's scoring champion and MVP frontrunner for Oklahoma City undoubtedly contributes to attracting a substantial audience north of the border.

Fans across the globe will be keenly following the action, with viewers in Serbia and Greece supporting their native stars, Nikola Jokic of Denver and Giannis Antetokounmpo of Milwaukee. Alperen Sengun will similarly command late-night attention for Houston games in Turkey. Slovenian supporters will rise early to watch Luka Doncic and the Lakers' playoff debut against the backdrop of the Los Angeles evening. Those in Cameroon will be focused on Pascal Siakam and the Indiana Pacers, while the reigning champions in Boston boast international talent including Kristaps Porzingis from Latvia and Al Horford from the Dominican Republic.

Once again, the NBA playoffs are poised to highlight the prowess of international stars.

This season marked an unprecedented NBA event, with the five statistical leaders hailing from five distinct nations: Gilgeous-Alexander from Canada, rebounding champion Domantas Sabonis from Lithuania, blocked shots champion Victor Wembanyama from France, steals champion Dyson Daniels from Australia, and assists champion Trae Young from the U.S. Consequently, the postseason is poised to retain a significant international flavor. While Gilgeous-Alexander's participation is secured, Sabonis and Daniels (along with Young, naturally) could potentially join him should their respective teams navigate the play-in tournament successfully.

"We possess a substantial proportion of international athletes within this league," remarked NBA Commissioner Adam Silver earlier this season. "Approximately 30% of our players, representing at least 43 distinct nations on opening day, contribute to a heightened global atmosphere surrounding our teams."

By season's end, the league featured players from a remarkable 44 distinct nations who had registered points. Notably, for the first time in NBA annals, players hailing from a single country other than the U.S. collectively amassed over 15,000 points; Canadian players contributed 15,588 this season, spearheaded by Gilgeous-Alexander, the inaugural scoring champion from that nation.

Gilgeous-Alexander is widely anticipated to clinch the MVP title this season, with the contest seemingly narrowed down to him and Jokic. Should either prevail, it would mark the seventh consecutive year an international player has claimed the NBA's most prestigious individual accolade.

Toronto coach Darko Rajakovic commented after a game between the Raptors and Thunder this season, "Shai belongs to the category of players who are unstoppable."

To put it another way, he resembles many contemporary international athletes. No one genuinely manages to stop players like Jokic, Antetokounmpo, and Doncic either.

Furthermore, this season marked another international milestone: Doncic's jersey sales surpassed all others on the NBA's most popular list, indicating NBAStore.com sold more of his jerseys than any other player's. While undoubtedly boosted by his mid-season trade from Dallas to the Los Angeles Lakers, this achievement remains noteworthy.

The Slovenian player is the first international player to have the most popular jerseys. He is also the first player besides Stephen Curry or LeBron James to be at the top in over ten years. Carmelo Anthony, who will soon join the Basketball Hall of Fame, was the last one to do it when he played for New York in 2012-13.

Despite its modest population of two million, Slovenia boasts remarkable athletes across various disciplines, as highlighted by Ajsa Sivka following her WNBA draft by the Chicago Sky on Monday night. When questioned about Luka Doncic and other prominent Slovenian athletes, she emphasized that regardless of the sport, Slovenia consistently produces exceptional talent, expressing profound pride in her national identity.

This development coincides with a period of heightened commitment from the NBA towards expanding its global presence. Last month, FIBA, the sport's international governing body, and the NBA unveiled a collaborative initiative for a new European basketball league, a project that has been under consideration for several years. The initial proposal envisions a 16-team league, potentially featuring prominent European franchises such as Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, and Manchester City.

In a season marked by four players exceeding 2,000 points in the NBA, three were international talents: Gilgeous-Alexander, Jokic, and Antetokounmpo. Globally, engagement with NBA League Pass saw a 6% increase compared to the previous season. France witnessed unprecedented NBA viewership this season, even despite Wembanyama's absence for the final two months. Furthermore, NBA-related social media content in Canada achieved record-breaking views this season, and league data indicates a surge in viewership within the Asia-Pacific region – already a prominent basketball territory.

FIBA secretary general Andreas Zagklis suggested that the figures, evidently propelled by ongoing international expansion, indicate the sport is currently thriving.

Looking around the world, including North America, Zagklis said, "the NBA is more popular and makes more money than ever before."