With the NBA now regularly hosting regular season games in cities such as Paris, London, Mexico City and Berlin, conversations about potential European leagues or expansion franchises internationally are gaining momentum. In particular, the NBA's ongoing effort to bring regular season basketball to international territories may rely on Dyson Daniels and the Atlanta Hawks for support. Australian and inventive head coach Quin Snyder fully agrees, lobbying for more European and Austrian-based regular season games around the NBA All-Star break.
For Snyder, the initiative comes handy in an industry that has become increasingly global. The NBA's efforts to strengthen ties with international markets is a positive development for all.
“I think (the NBA Europe project) is great,” Snyder told ClutchPoints. "The league is global and has players from all over the world. So playing in Europe, whether it's in London, Paris or Berlin, there are games everywhere right now. You hear a lot about European players watching the NBA before they come here, and I think more and more American kids are exposed to basketball internationally."
Snyder pointed to the long pipeline of European talent entering the league as evidence of basketball's growing international roots, while influence flows in both directions.
“You usually see an increase during the World Cup or the Olympics,” Snyder said. "The more the game expands internationally, the better it is for everyone in the NBA. So, there are a lot of benefits from teams and players going out there. Whether it's cultural benefits or raising awareness about other parts of this world that we live in."
As decision-makers look to take advantage of the game's global momentum, the increase in support reflects a growing sentiment among coaches and players that the league's future success depends largely on its ability to think beyond the boundaries. For Snyder, the strategy is straightforward; The more the NBA invests overseas, the stronger the league will be domestically.
