The globalization of the NBA will be on prominent display in the Western Conference Finals. The Spurs have perhaps the league’s most international roster, with six non-US players – two Frenchmen (Parker and Boris Diaw) one Argentinian (Ginobli), one Brazilian (Tiago Splitter), one Canadian (Cory Joseph), and one Australian (Patty Mills). Even Duncan wasn’t born in any of the 50 states, but in the US Virgin Islands, where he aspired to be an Olympic swimmer until the territory lost its lone swimming pool to hurricane Hugo.
As an added international bonus, consider that Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, whose parents are of Serbian and Croatian descent, has a degree in Soviet studies from the US Air Force Academy.
The Thunder can hardly match this sort of Whole Earth undercurrent, but they don’t strictly bear a “Made in the USA” label either. Serge Ibaka is from the Republic of Congo and Thabo Sefolosha from Switzerland.
