Toronto Raptors: Team should take pride in international footprint

The Toronto Raptors were well-represented at the NBA Africa Game on Saturday, showing off their international flair for the basketball world.

Outside of being the only “international” team in the NBA, the Toronto Raptors have developed a reputation for harboring international talent.

Never was that more apparent than during Saturday’s annual NBA Africa Game.

Both Serge Ibaka and Pascal Siakam suited up for Team Africa during the exhibition; Ibaka hails from the Republic of the Congo, while Siakam is from Cameroon.

Neither had an excellent game, but the contest was all in good fun anyways. Ibaka drew the start, dropping seven points in 23 minutes. Siakam came off the bench, yet finished with a game-low minus-12.

Team Africa lost to Team World, 96-92.

The game isn’t about wins and losses (although Charlotte Hornets big man Bismack Biyombo really wanted to win). It’s about raising awareness and money for charity, as well as spreading love of the game on a global stage.

The Toronto Raptors are the perfect ambassador for that mission on multiple levels.

https://twitter.com/sergeibaka/status/1026159064647196673

For starters, they hold an obvious and unique difference from their counterparts. With the demise of the Vancouver Grizzlies, there are 29 NBA teams located in the United States and one located in international territory: the Raptors.

They’re also one of the only franchises led by a man of international stature. Team president Masai Ujiri was born in Nigeria before emigrating to the United States to play basketball. In addition to his work with the team, he’s also the director of Basketball Without Borders.

Beyond Ibaka and Siakam, there are plenty of non-Americans involved in the organization. OG Anunoby hails from England. Chris Boucher is Canadian, but he was born in Saint Lucia. Jonas Valanciunas is Lithuanian.

Director of Sports Science Alex McKechnie is originally from Scotland, which isn’t much of a basketball mecca. Patrick Mutumbo is a Belgian who initially hails from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Heck, new assistant Sergio Scariolo is an Italian whose led the Spanish national team for the past several years.

They’ll play preseason games in Vancouver and Montreal, expanding their dominance of the Canadian landscape. They’ll also host Melbourne United, creating more awareness of the Raptors in Australia.

There’s an actual, practical value to building a reputation as an international franchise.

For starters, it never hurts to have more fans. Those are the people paying for ticket packages, TV deals online, and merchandise across the globe. They generate a revenue for the team, which in turn allows the team to improve experiences for players and fans alike.

Players can see an added benefit to their bottom line as well.

Many international markets are untapped as revenue bases. The NBA began to discover the importance of China when Yao Ming entered the league, but there are still major markets for the league — and its teams — to influence, including Africa.

By leading the way into international waters, the Raptors are creating a structure for continued success around the world.

The NBA African Game succeeded in its goal of spreading the message of basketball far and wide. The Toronto Raptors were successful too because of their game plan of international success.