What began with Hakeem Olajuwon, the NBA 75 highlights the international growth of the game

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NBA International players 75th Anniversary

The 1992 Dream Team captivated the world at the Barcelona Olympics, ushering in a new era of basketball as Team USA's rock star cache helped globalise the sport.

Led by Michael Jordan's worldwide fame, basketball and the NBA became part of the global sporting lexicon, from Europe to Africa, Australia, Asia, South America and beyond. 

While we're used to seeing international players dominate in today's NBA, the league has undergone a huge transformation, coinciding with a global boom over the last 25 years. 

In 1996, when the NBA released its 50 greatest players of all time, Houston Rockets big man Hakeem Olajuwon was the sole representative from the burgeoning group of international players.

At that time, Olajuwon was coming off two NBA championships, two Finals MVPs, one Most Valuable Player of the Year award, multiple All-Star selections and five All-NBA First Team nods. 

While there were a handful of international players making a name for themselves in the '90s, none were near the calibre of Olajuwon. He rightly took his place among the NBA's 75 greatest players of all time released this week. 

NBA 50 Greatest Players, 1996

Later that same year as the original list of 50 was released, a new era began with Canadian Steve Nash selected with the No. 15 pick in the 1996 NBA Draft.

Nash, who stands as the greatest Canadian ever to lace them up in the NBA, opened the floodgates north of the border, with 25 Candians suiting up in the NBA this season alone.

MORE: Nash's resume and impact on basketball in Canada made him a lock for NBA 75

Perhaps one of the most influential players of the modern era leading the 'seven seconds or less' Phoenix Suns, Nash's place in the NBA 75 was never in doubt. 

The current Brooklyn Nets head coach earned back-to-back MVP awards and joins Bill Russell as the only players in NBA history to win back-to back MVPs while averaging fewer than 20 points. 

Nash also led the NBA in assists in five seasons and cracked the rare 50-40-90 club in four seasons.

"I really pride myself on playing for Canada and representing the country in any way I can. It is humbling to be considered in that category," Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray said in a 2018 interview.

"You know you got Steve Nash, who is an all-time favourite of mine and a Hall of Famer, he was considered to own that category for his entire career. He changed the game to the point that now there are so many Canadians playing to debate about."

In the 25 years since the top 50 was released, international players have blossomed following Olajuwon's lead, each bringing a unique style to the game and to some degree altering the way the game is played. 

Steve Nash (Phoenix Suns), Dirk Nowitzki (Dallas Mavericks)

Few bigger than German Dirk Nowitzki, who redefined the power forward position. 

The Dallas legend, who played all 21 seasons of his glittering career with the Mavericks brought a new style of play to the position, pushing the league away from the traditional power forward to the sweet-shooting, floor spacing we see in today's game. 

Before the 3-point shot became the weapon that it is in today's game, Nowitzki's ability to spread the floor changed how teams filled their rosters, with stretch fours popping up left and right trying to replicate his impact. 

The below chart tells the story. 

Nowitzki will go down as one of the best power forwards in NBA history, making his selection to the NBA 75 a no-brainer. Not to mention his NBA championship, Finals MVP, Most Valuable Player of the Year award, 14 All-Star selections and four All-NBA First Team nods.  

Dirk's legacy is undeniable. 

While the playing days of Olajuwon, Nowitzki and Nash are long gone, their impact on the modern NBA is easy to see. As is that of the likes of Tony Parker, Pau Gasol, Yao Ming and countless others.

In today's game, international players make up nearly a quarter of the league, with 109 international players from 39 countries on opening-night rosters to begin the 75th Anniversary season — the eighth consecutive year with at least 100 international players.

The best of the bunch, Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is entering rare air after leading the Milwaukee Bucks to the 2021 NBA title, where he was named Finals MVP.

A resume that already looks like that of a Hall of Famer, the 26-year-old has been named Most Valuable Player of the Year twice, to go with his Defensive Player of the Year award, Most Improved Player of the Year, five All-Star selections, All-Star Game MVP and three All-NBA First team nods. 

It's no surprise, the Bucks star earned his place among the NBA's 75 greatest players of all time, with the Greek Freak on a trajectory that could put him down as one of the best players to ever pick up a basketball. 

When you look around the league, international players are not just making up the numbers, with many becoming franchise stars. Denver Nuggets big man Nikola Jokic, another postion-altering player is the reigning MVP, while Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic has picked up Nowitzki's mantle as the face of the franchise. 

At this rate, the 22-year-old is on track to become one of the faces of the league — if he isn't already. 

#Doncic #Jokic

Jokic and Doncic are among the current international players who could have made a case to be named in the NBA's 75 as two stars of today's NBA, ushering in a new generation of international dominance.

When the NBA celebrates its 100th Anniversary in 2046, what started with just Hakeem Olajuwon in 1996, will likely see a list that stretches all across the map. 

The views on this page do not necessarily represent the views of the NBA or its clubs.

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Benyam Kidane Photo

Benyam Kidane is a senior NBA editor for The Sporting News.