When the 1991-92 NBA season tipped off, 23 international players from 18 countries were on NBA rosters.
That summer of 1992, one of baseball’s seminal moments took place — the Dream Team went to Barcelona and dominated the Olympics. Basketball’s biggest stars — Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Patrick Ewing, Charles Barkley, and the list goes on and on — played for the first time as professionals on the Olympic stage and were even more of a sensation off the court than on. They sparked worldwide interest and passion for basketball in general and the NBA in particular.
That was the first domino that led to today when the NBA announced there are 125 international players from 43 countries across six continents on NBA opening-night rosters for the start of the 2024-25 season.
While all of that growth was not because of the Barcelona Olympics, it was the spark that lit the fire — and that fire is still burning strong thanks to the Paris Olympics this past summer.
International interest and increased popularity of basketball — driven by NBA players from around the world representing their countries — grew exponentially again this summer when the game’s biggest names again stepped onto the Olympic stage.
“It’s an incredible honor to represent the United States on this global stage, especially in a moment that can bring the whole world together,” LeBron said of the Olympics and being asked to be the flag bearer for the USA in the Opening Ceremonies in Paris.
How big was the impact of the Paris Olympics on the NBA and basketball? Check out these statistics (based on an online survey sponsored by the NBA):
• Basketball was among the four most followed and watched Olympic sports across all markets, national and international (gymnastics, swimming, and track & field were the others).
• Four NBA players were among the top 10 most mentioned Olympic athletes on social media: LeBron James (4), Kevin Durant (5), Steph Curry (9), Jayson Tatum (10).
• Those four, together with NBA players representing other countries — such as Nikola Jokic with Serbia and Victor Wembanyama with France — were the most mentioned Olympic athletes on social media compared to any other Olympic sport.
• The Paris Olympics continued the trend of growing the game around the globe, with 51% of survey respondents (general sports fans) saying they’ve become more interested in basketball players/teams/leagues from outside of their home country.
• Along those lines, 24% of respondents said they’re talking with others more about basketball after the Paris Olympics, and 22% say they’re consuming more basketball content.
• This isn’t just about the NBA: Half of sports fans across international markets say they’ve become more interested in women’s professional basketball because of the Olympics.
• Where was that international growth? Here is the percentage of survey respondents from different countries who agreed with the statement “The Olympics has made me more interested in basketball”:
UAE: 87%
Japan: 68%
France: 63%
U.K.: 55%
Germany: 54%
U.S.: 53%
Australia: 52%
Canada: 47%
It should be noted that USA Basketball stopped for a couple of Olympic tune-up games, against Australia and Serbia, in the United Arab Emirates before heading to Paris.
What this shows is how the Olympic platform still reaches people who are more casual sports fans, and not usually basketball fans, in a way that nothing else can. The Paris Olympics provided dramatic basketball — both men and women — and fans around the globe noticed. Many of them are talking about the game and following those stars now in a way they did not before Paris.
And a few of them are children who are going to walk outside, pick up a basketball and change the game in the future.
