Shai wins MVP, marking 7 straight for internationals—have Americans lost NBA dominance?
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00:00So, Shea Gilgis-Alexander won MVP this week, and that marks seven straight years of international players winning MVPs.
00:08The last American MVP was James Harden in 2018, but previous to that, only three different international players have won MVP in the history of the league.
00:18So, what's going on? Are American superstars washed?
00:22Shea became the second Canadian MVP after Steve Nash, and beat out Serbian center Nikola Jokic for the award, who finished second with 718 points to Shea's 913.
00:34Right behind them, Giannis Antetokounmpo, who of course is Greek.
00:38The American player coming in highest in the MVP voting was Jason Tatum, who finished fourth behind Giannis.
00:44Funny enough, LeBron James has now become the oldest player and the youngest player ever to receive MVP votes.
00:52With Viktor Wembenyama and Luka Doncic both injured and not hitting the 65 games played threshold, there could be an argument that there are no Americans in the top 5 players in the NBA when everyone is healthy.
01:04Not only that, there's a good chance that we won't see an American MVP for the entirety of the 2020s.
01:10So, what does this mean? It means that basketball is becoming a global sport like soccer.
01:15Looking back at the 2024 Olympics, the USA team narrowly escaped losses to both Serbia and France, and were led by LeBron James, who is 40, Steph Curry, who is 37, and Kevin Durant, who is 36.
01:28The world isn't just coming, the world is already here.
01:31The 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles could have the stiffest competition Team USA has ever faced in the sport.
01:37So, what do you think? Do you think budding superstars like Anthony Edwards and Tyrese Halliburton can win MVP in the future?
01:44Or, do you think it's already too late?
01:46Let us know in the comments below, like the video, and subscribe for more NBA content.