What kind of impact can we expect on the 2023-24 NBA season from players participating in this summer's FIBA Basketball World Cup?
Inevitably, whatever happens to players after representing their nations in international play gets attributed to that experience. That can be positive, as in the case of Kevin Durant's breakthrough as a playoff superstar after leading the United States to victory in the 2010 World Championship (since renamed the World Cup) at age 21.
On the flip side, when players suffer through injury-plagued NBA seasons, this can be blamed on the fatigue of playing extra games over the summer. Both arguments are prone to confirmation basis because the notable cases are so much easier to remember than players who simply repeat the same NBA season after international play.
To get a better understanding of the impact international competitions have on NBA performance, I took a look back at players who competed in the major World Cup and Olympic games dating back to 2010. Let's take a look at what the results will tell us about Luka Doncic, Anthony Edwards, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the other stars who have played in the 2023 FIBA World Cup.