Viewers in Canada will be closely following, not solely due to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, although the NBA's top scorer and MVP contender, who plays for Oklahoma City, undoubtedly contributes to attracting fans from north of the border.

The global appeal of the NBA playoffs is underscored by the viewership across continents, particularly in the native countries of its international stars. Audiences in Serbia and Greece will be keenly following the performances of Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo, respectively. Alperen Sengun's presence ensures that Houston Rockets games will command late-night attention in Turkey. Similarly, Slovenian enthusiasts will be tuning in during the early hours to witness Luka Doncic and the Lakers commence their playoff campaign. Fans in Cameroon will be focused on Pascal Siakam and the Indiana Pacers. The reigning champions, the Boston Celtics, boast a roster featuring international talent such as Kristaps Porzingis from Latvia and Al Horford from the Dominican Republic.

The NBA playoffs are poised to once again highlight the exceptional talent of international players.

This season was special because the five best players in different statistics came from five different countries, which has never happened before in the NBA. Gilgeous-Alexander is from Canada, Domantas Sabonis, who was the best at getting rebounds for Sacramento, is from Lithuania, Victor Wembanyama from San Antonio, who was the best at blocking shots, is from France, Dyson Daniels from Atlanta, who was the best at stealing the ball, is from Australia, and Trae Young from the Hawks, who was the best at assists, is from the U.S. Because of this, the playoffs will also feel very international. Gilgeous-Alexander is already in the playoffs, and Sabonis and Daniels (and Young too) might join him if their teams win in the play-in tournament.

"The league boasts a considerable contingent of international players," NBA Commissioner Adam Silver stated earlier in the season. "Approximately 30% of our athletes hail from at least 43 diverse nations on opening day, fostering a distinctly global atmosphere throughout our teams."

Ultimately, the season concluded with representation from 44 distinct nations, specifically those where NBA players who scored during the season were born. Notably, for the first time in NBA history, players from a single country other than the U.S. collectively amassed over 15,000 points; Canadian players achieved 15,588 points this season, spearheaded by Gilgeous-Alexander, the inaugural scoring champion from that nation.

Gilgeous-Alexander is widely considered the frontrunner for this season's MVP title, likely contending with Jokic. Should this prediction hold true, it would mark the seventh consecutive year the NBA MVP award has gone to an international player. This streak began with Antetokounmpo's two victories, followed by Jokic securing three of the subsequent four titles, and most recently, Cameroon-born Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers claiming the award two seasons prior.

"Shai is a player you simply cannot contain," Toronto coach Darko Rajakovic remarked following a game between the Raptors and Thunder earlier this season.

In other words, he now resembles many other international players. No one can truly contain Jokic, Antetokounmpo, or Doncic either.

This season also marked another international milestone: Doncic's jersey was the NBA's most popular, signifying higher sales on NBAStore.com than any other player's; while his mid-season trade from Dallas to the Los Angeles Lakers undoubtedly boosted sales due to the jersey change, the achievement remains significant.

The Slovenian star is the first international player to top the list of most popular jerseys, and the first player other than Stephen Curry or LeBron James to achieve this in over a decade, since the future Basketball Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony accomplished it while playing for New York in the 2012-13 season.

"Despite our relatively small population of two million, our sporting achievements are truly remarkable," stated fellow Slovene Ajsa Sivka upon being drafted by the WNBA's Chicago Sky on Monday evening, when questioned about Doncic and other prominent Slovenian athletes. "Regardless of the specific discipline, we consistently produce individuals of exceptional talent. I feel immense pride in my Slovenian heritage."

This development unfolds at a juncture when the NBA is arguably more committed than ever to expanding its global presence. Last month, FIBA, the sport's international governing body, and the NBA unveiled a collaborative initiative for a nascent European basketball league, a concept that has been gestating for numerous years. The initial objective is to establish a 16-team league, potentially encompassing many of Europe's most prominent clubs, such as Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, and Manchester City.

This season marked a notable period in the NBA, with four players surpassing the 2,000-point threshold, three of whom were international standouts including Gilgeous-Alexander, Jokic, and Antetokounmpo. Globally, viewership of NBA League Pass experienced a 6% surge compared to the previous season. In France, NBA game viewership reached unprecedented levels this season, notwithstanding Wembanyama's absence during the final two months. NBA-related social media engagement in Canada achieved record-breaking figures this season, and league data indicates a significant increase in fan viewership across the Asia-Pacific region – already a burgeoning basketball hub.

FIBA secretary general Andreas Zagklis said that the numbers, which are clearly helped by the game's continued growth around the world, show that the sport is very strong now.

"Considering the global landscape, and certainly here in North America," Zagklis commented, "the NBA enjoys unparalleled popularity and commercial success."