Wizards-Heat game in Mexico latest example of NBA global footprint

NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum sat down in the lounge of USA Basketball’s team hotel in Paris. He had just emerged from one meeting, and had two more on his docket.

The night before, he watched the U.S. beat Serbia in a men’s semifinal game, and later in the day, he planned to attend the U.S. women’s semifinal game at the 2024 Paris Olympics. That was just a snapshot of Tatum’s busy July-August schedule, which included nearly a month in France plus a quick trip back to the United States for a GM meeting where he sits on the board.

It’s the kind of globetrotting that Tatum is accustomed to as the person leading the NBA’s international efforts.

The league’s global footprint continues to grow, and Saturday, the Washington Wizards play the Miami Heat in Mexico City, marking the 33rd game in the country (preseason and regular-season). This comes after the preseason game in Abu Dhabi between the Boston Celtics and Denver Nuggets and ahead of two scheduled January games in Paris between the San Antonio Spurs (bonjour, Victor Wembanyama) and the Indiana Pacers.

The NBA matched a league high with 125 international players from a league record-tying 43 countries on opening-night rosters. Wembanyama was the No. 1 pick in the 2023 draft, and fellow Frenchmen Zaccharie Risacher and Alex Sarr were the top two picks in the 2024 draft.

The last six MVPs (Nikola Jokic three times, Giannis Antetokounmpo twice and Joel Embiid once) were born outside of the U.S. Grassroots efforts, such as Basketball Without Borders (BWB), is helping African nations develop players. South Sudan’s solid performance at the Olympics emphasizes that point.

The NBA also continues to explore a financial stake in European basketball events, possibly the Euroleague, to help maximize revenue and exposure.

USA TODAY Sports talked with Tatum about the growth of basketball and the NBA internationally.

(Questions and answers edited for clarity and brevity):

USA TODAY: What opportunities may exist for the NBA in regards to European leagues?

Tatum: We (the NBA and FIBA, basketball’s international governing body) both have an interest in growing the game of basketball and however we can be helpful in that process, whether it be a new competition or some new structure, we’re going to be interested in doing that. And that’s what we’re talking to the different stakeholders about: What’s the best and right way for us to get engaged in that process? What’s the best sort of product to be able to introduce into the market that will engage fans in a meaningful way and continue to grow the sport of basketball?

USA TODAY: We know Sudan and what is now South Sudan has produced players, but there seems to be a difference right now. What is happening? What are you starting to see on the continent?

Tatum: We’ve got a three-prong strategy in terms of growing the game at the grassroots level. People see that Khaman Maluach was a young kid who we found at 14 years old, brought him into our academy, taught him the game of basketball, gave him the training and coaching and development that he would need to now go on to play at Duke. And everyone’s saying he’s a projected (lottery) pick in next year’s draft. That is what’s possible now because we’re investing in the infrastructure there.

The other part of that strategy is making sure that our content is available to fans wherever they are. And we’re making sure that our games are widely distributed on the continent and with the BAL (Basketball Africa League). We’re seeing viewership metrics grow, we’re seeing social media engagements grow. And then the third part of that strategy is bringing the live-game experience there. And that’s why we launched a Basketball Africa League so that young kids in Africa could see a path from a grassroots program playing basketball in Africa to playing professional basketball on the continent. Sometimes the NBA can seem so far away, so now they have an option in their countries where they can see there’s a very clear path of ‘how I start playing from grassroots to playing professional basketball for a living.’

USA TODAY: With the growth of the game internationally, is there a fine line in making sure that American players are still part of the conversation?

Tatum: It speaks to the importance of continuing to invest in basketball development in every country around the world, including in the United States. And I think that’s an area that we are also very focused on with our Jr. NBA programs and working very closely with USA Basketball on their youth programs as well. So it’s an area that we are very focused on and how do we continue to make sure that we are investing in youth basketball in the United States too, to make sure that the Anthony Edwards, the Devin Bookers, the Jayson Tatums, that that talent continues to permeate in our league?

But I will say, having these international players, Giannis, Jokic, Luka (Doncic) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – they are players born outside the United States, but they are global superstars. They’re relevant to their fans in the United States and they’re relevant to fans all over the world. … That is what we’re looking for – the talent, wherever they come from around the world, to come play in our league. And I think our fans will appreciate the talent that they’re bringing to this league no matter where they’re from.

USA TODAY: What are plans to, or what are thoughts about making the WNBA game a little bit more international?

Tatum: Huge plans … So talk about in Africa – the investments that we’re making are both in men’s basketball and women’s basketball. The BWB camp is a women’s camp as well. We’ve got women’s programs at our academy. … The growth of the women’s game is global, too. And obviously we announced that we’re going to Canada (WNBA expansion team in Toronto). We played games there and sold out. I know (WNBA commissioner) Cathy (Engelbert) and her team are actually looking at other markets. There’s tremendous demand to bring WNBA games down to different parts to Europe. We have lots of people who have talked to us about bringing a game to Europe, to the Middle East, to Asia. And so I think that is absolutely one of the things that you can expect in the near future is watching WNBA games being played in international markets as well, leading up to their season and potentially during their season too.

USA TODAY: We talked about Wembanyama and the top two picks in 2024 coming from France, is there any reason that market doesn’t stand out as a place the NBA plays year after year?

Tatum: There’s something that’s special that’s going on in this market in France where the love for basketball is just growing. Of course, football, or international soccer, continues to be a global sport, but basketball in France, we’re seeing all of our metrics going in the right direction – the talent, the number of players, the viewership, League Pass subscribers, and the San Antonio Spurs have become the No. 1 team to watch and follow in France on League Pass.

This is a place where we will continue to come and play games and host events because there’s such a demand here. I will say this, there’s tremendous demand across the rest of the continent, too, and in other parts of the world. And so we haven’t determined where we’re going to play yet in 2026, but we know we’ll be playing somewhere in Europe because that works. And the game has grown, not just here in France, it’s grown phenomenally in France, but it’s grown phenomenally in Germany. …

‘We’re seeing growth in the UK, in Spain, in all these European markets. But there’s no doubt that France will continue to have a presence as we think about the landscape of where we play games internationally.’

Follow NBA reporter Jeff Zillgitt on social media @JeffZillgitt