Kevin Durant says the growing influence of international players in the NBA should not be separated from the American basketball system and the players who shaped the current generation.
Speaking on Boardroom, Durant addressed the narrative that international players are taking over the league, arguing that the discussion should focus on the influences behind many of the NBA’s biggest foreign-born stars.
“It’s about time,” Durant said. “They been coming into the league since the 80s… The real arguments should be who are they influenced by? Most of these dudes are influenced by who? Americans.”
The 2025-26 season provided more evidence of the NBA’s international depth. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander won both MVP and Clutch Player of the Year after averaging 31.1 points on 55.3% shooting for the Oklahoma City Thunder, while Nikola Jokic finished second in MVP voting and averaged 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds and 10.7 assists.
Victor Wembanyama finished third in MVP voting and won Defensive Player of the Year, averaging 25.0 points, 11.5 rebounds and 3.1 blocks for the San Antonio Spurs. Luka Doncic led the NBA in scoring at 33.5 points per game and added 8.3 assists and 7.7 rebounds.
Durant, however, pointed to the cultural influence of American players on stars who developed outside the United States.
“It’s cool getting MVPs and stuff but who did you watch?” Durant said. “You see Jokic, Porzingis, Shai, all these dudes with Iverson jerseys coming up…. They trynna play like us too.”
Durant specifically questioned how the term “international player” should apply to Gilgeous-Alexander, who is Canadian but developed through the North American basketball pathway. Gilgeous-Alexander attended Hamilton Heights Christian Academy in Tennessee before playing one season at Kentucky.
“You look at Shai, is he an international player?” Durant said. “His pipeline for being a NBA player came from the American system. Where’d he go to college? Where’d he go to high school?”
The distinction is relevant because the NBA’s top players increasingly represent different developmental routes. Jokic developed professionally in Serbia before entering the league, while Wembanyama played professionally in France. Doncic emerged through Real Madrid’s system in Spain and won the EuroLeague title and Final Four MVP before arriving in the NBA.
At the same time, Gilgeous-Alexander followed a route much closer to that of American prospects, moving from Canada to high school basketball in the United States before becoming a one-and-done player at Kentucky.
The 2025-26 scoring race reflected that international presence, with Doncic, Gilgeous-Alexander, Jokic and Wembanyama all finishing among the league’s top 13 scorers. Deni Avdija, born in Israel, also ranked 14th at 24.2 points per game.
Durant himself remained among the NBA’s elite scorers in 2025-26, averaging 26.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists on 52.0% shooting and 41.3% from three-point range in 78 games for Houston.
