Canada will be following closely, significantly influenced by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, as the league's leading scorer and MVP candidate for Oklahoma City undoubtedly attracts viewers north of the border.

Viewers in Serbia and Greece, the native countries of prominent players Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo, will be following the games intently. Alperen Sengun's presence will similarly compel Turkish fans to tune into Houston games during the early hours. Slovenian supporters are also expected to observe Luka Doncic and the Lakers' initial playoff match, broadcast at a late hour locally while being a Saturday afternoon fixture in Los Angeles. Meanwhile, fans in Cameroon will be focused on Pascal Siakam and the Indiana Pacers. The reigning champions, Boston, boast international talent including Kristaps Porzingis from Latvia and Al Horford from the Dominican Republic.

The NBA playoffs are once again poised to prominently feature international stars.

This season is special because the top players in five different statistics are from five different countries, which has never happened before in the NBA. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is from Canada, Domantas Sabonis from Lithuania is the best at getting rebounds, Victor Wembanyama from France is the best at blocking shots, Dyson Daniels from Australia is the best at stealing the ball, and Trae Young from the U.S. is the best at assists. This means the playoffs will also have a lot of international players. Gilgeous-Alexander is already in the playoffs. Sabonis and Daniels, and probably Young too, could join him if their teams win in the play-in tournament.

"The league features a substantial contingent of international players," NBA Commissioner Adam Silver commented earlier this season. "Approximately 30% of our athletes, representing at least 43 diverse nations on opening day, contribute to a significantly more global dynamic within our teams."

By the conclusion of the season, there were 44 different nationalities represented, considering the countries where players who scored in the NBA this season were born. For the first time in NBA history, players from a single country other than the U.S. collectively accumulated over 15,000 points; Canadian players achieved a total of 15,588 points this season, spearheaded by Gilgeous-Alexander, the first scoring champion hailing from that nation.

Gilgeous-Alexander is the top contender for this season's MVP award, vying with Jokic for the honor, thus ensuring a seventh consecutive year of an international MVP in the NBA, following Antetokounmpo's two wins, Jokic's three in four years, and Embiid's victory two seasons prior.

"Shai embodies the kind of player who is virtually unstoppable," Toronto coach Darko Rajakovic commented after a game between the Raptors and Thunder this season.

He's similar to many other international players today, just like how players such as Jokic, Antetokounmpo, and Doncic are very hard to stop.

This season also marked a further international milestone: Doncic's jersey sales surpassed all others on NBAStore.com, securing his position as the most popular player in terms of merchandise.

The Slovenian player is the first international player to have the most popular jersey. He is also the first player other than Stephen Curry or LeBron James to be at the top of this list in over ten years. The last time someone else was number one was in the 2012-13 season, when Carmelo Anthony, who will soon be in the Basketball Hall of Fame, was playing for New York.

"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 night, when questioned about Doncic and other prominent Slovenian athletes. "Irrespective of the sport, we consistently produce individuals of exceptional talent. I am genuinely proud to be Slovenian."

This development coincides with a period 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 plans to collaborate on a nascent European basketball league, a concept that has been under consideration for numerous years. The initial proposal envisions a 16-team league, potentially encompassing many of Europe's most prominent franchises, including Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, and Manchester City.

This past season marked a significant moment with four NBA players exceeding 2,000 points, notably featuring three international athletes: Gilgeous-Alexander, Jokic, and Antetokounmpo. Globally, there was a 6% increase in time spent watching NBA League Pass compared to the previous season. France witnessed unprecedented viewership of NBA games this season, even without Wembanyama's participation in the final two months. Furthermore, NBA-related social media engagement in Canada reached record highs this season, and league data indicates a growing fanbase in the Asia-Pacific region, which is already a prominent area for basketball enthusiasts.

FIBA Secretary General Andreas Zagklis indicated that the figures, clearly propelled by persistent international expansion, suggest the sport is currently in a robust state.

"Observing global trends, particularly within North America," Zagklis commented, "the NBA's popularity and commercial viability have reached unprecedented levels."