Breaking Down the 2023 NBA 1st Team All NBA Selections and Their Impact

Let me tell you something about this year's NBA First Team selections that really got me thinking about the global basketball landscape. When the 2023 All-NBA First Team was announced featuring Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Dončić, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jayson Tatum, and Joel Embiid, what struck me wasn't just the individual brilliance - it was how international this group has become. Having followed basketball for over fifteen years, I've never seen the game this globalized, and that's what makes me connect these elite selections directly to developments like the upcoming Asia Cup serving as a qualifier for next year's FIBA Under-17 Basketball World Cup.

The composition of this year's First Team speaks volumes about where basketball is heading. With Gilgeous-Alexander representing Canada, Dončić from Slovenia, Antetokounmpo from Greece, and Embiid from Cameroon, only Tatum represents the traditional American basketball pipeline. That's 80% of the First Team coming from international backgrounds, which is unprecedented in NBA history. What's fascinating to me is how this mirrors the growth we're seeing in Asian basketball through tournaments like the Asia Cup. I remember watching early international games where the talent gap was noticeable, but now? The global game has caught up dramatically.

Looking at Shai's season specifically - averaging 31.4 points, 5.5 assists, and 4.8 rebounds while leading Canada to international relevance - it shows how player development outside the US has evolved. The infrastructure that produced Gilgeous-Alexander in Ontario isn't that different from what's being built across Asia right now. When I analyze the Asia Cup's role as a gateway to the FIBA Under-17 World Cup, I see it creating exactly the kind of competitive platforms that helped develop today's First Team members early in their careers.

Dončić's inclusion marks his fourth First Team selection by age 24, which is just insane when you think about it. His journey from Real Madrid to NBA superstardom provides a blueprint for international prospects. The pathways being created through tournaments like the Asia Cup give young Asian players visible stepping stones similar to what European prospects had a decade ago. I've spoken with scouts who believe we're about to see an explosion of talent from Asia similar to what we saw from Europe in the 2010s.

What really excites me about Giannis making his fifth First Team is how his story inspires global development programs. His transformation from an unknown prospect to back-to-back MVP shows what's possible when international talent meets proper development systems. The Asia Cup qualifier status creates exactly that kind of system - it gives young players something tangible to strive for beyond their domestic leagues. I've watched enough international basketball to recognize when a region is about to break through, and all signs point to Asia being next.

The business side of this can't be ignored either. NBA global revenue hit $10.8 billion last year, with international growth accounting for nearly 25% of that increase. Having international stars on the First Team drives engagement worldwide, which in turn fuels investment in development tournaments like the Asia Cup. It's a virtuous cycle - global stars create global fans, which creates global opportunities for the next generation.

My prediction? Within five years, we'll see our first Asia-developed player making a serious run at All-NBA honors. The infrastructure is developing faster than most people realize, and the qualification pathway through the Asia Cup to the FIBA U-17 World Cup provides exactly the high-level competition young players need. I've seen the talent coming through these pipelines, and trust me - the gap is closing quicker than conventional wisdom suggests.

The impact of this year's First Team extends beyond court performance. These players are changing how basketball is perceived globally, making it truly the world's game rather than just America's game. When 60% of current NBA players come from international backgrounds compared to just 15% thirty years ago, you know we're witnessing a fundamental shift in the sport's ecosystem.

Watching Embiid's MVP season unfold while representing Cameroon internationally shows young players everywhere that they don't need to follow traditional paths to success. The qualification system being built through tournaments like the Asia Cup creates alternative routes to the highest levels of basketball. Having covered international basketball for various publications since 2012, I can confidently say we're entering basketball's most globally competitive era.

The connection between today's international First Team members and tomorrow's Asian stars through these development tournaments isn't just theoretical - it's already happening. The same scouting networks that identified Giannis are now heavily invested in Asia, and the results will start showing up in NBA drafts sooner than most expect. When we look back at this 2023 First Team in a decade, I believe we'll see it as a turning point - the moment when global basketball talent became truly democratized across all continents.