"In the post-LeBron, post-Steph era, the immigrants are going to run the league” - Hasan Minhaj gives hilarious insight into the future of the NBA
While the majority of players in the NBA are American, the last few years have seen quite a few international players take over the league. Famed comedian Hasan Minhaj had a hilarious take on the future of the NBA.
On JJ Redick's "Old Man and The Three," Hasan Minhaj expressed his thoughts on what the league will look like after LeBron James and Stephen Curry retire. He said:
"Giannis is the imigrant uncle that the country needs, that the NBA needs and that the world needs right now.
"In the post-LeBron, post-Steph era, the immigrants are going to run the league. Joker. Luka. Giannis. Embiid, f***ing from Cameroon. All of them, horrible tunnel pics. Amazing game."
🤣 @HasanMinhaj on @OldManAndThree: "In the post-LeBron, post-Steph era, the immigrants are going to run the league. All of them, horrible tunnel pics. Amazing game...Take my FOBS, my H-1B killers, my green card assassins. Run them against anybody."
https://t.co/7DKK21AlpG
Minaj continued:
Take my FOBS, my H-1B killers, my green card assassins. Run them against anybody. So in conclusion, what Giannis, Joker, Luka and Embiid represent, is Indian immigrant uncle energy that is great for America, the NBA and the world at large."
Minhaj's thinking may seem hilarious, but it does hold some truth. Over the past few years, international players have received plenty of attention from fans and the media. Their on-court impact has propelled them to have excellent careers in the best basketball league in the world.
Last season, the three finalists in the MVP race were all foreign players. Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid finished the season as the top players in the league.
Nikola Jokic has been voted MVP, per @wojespn
Back-to-back for the Joker puts him in legendary company 🏆 https://t.co/cQRkPr5ph7
Minhaj may seem to have unraveled the future of the NBA, but it's only the beginning.
Thanks to the players, the NBA is already the number one sport around the globe
The NBA is working its way through as one of the best professional sporting leagues in the world right now.
Over the past few years, the league has been able to seek international talent that has helped them shape the league. One of the players is Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks, who hails from Greece. He has amassed a ton of following due to his genuine attitude and on-court dominance.
Now, he isn't the only player to have this kind of demeanor on and off the court. Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets seems to have carried his way into stardom by being humble and just purely being a basketball player. This attitude has helped him become a two-time MVP and revolutionize the center position.
Both players have done excellent in leading the NBA as a brand. The Greek Freak and the Joker have won MVPs and racked up All-Star appearances. They're not the only stars to do so. Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks has become a fan-favorite for his style of play. This upcoming season, Doncic is the favorite to win the MVP after years of missing out on it.
These players have helped shape the NBA into becoming a global brand.