Seven years ago, the Denver Nuggets used the 41st pick in the NBA draft on an unheralded center from Serbia.
On Tuesday, Nikola Jokic became the sixth international player to win the NBA's Most Valuable Player Award, sources confirmed to ESPN.
The Denver star becomes the first center since Shaquille O'Neal in 2000 to be named the league's MVP. Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid and Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry were the other finalists for the award.
Jokic put together one of the best offensive seasons in NBA history, finishing the year with career-best averages of 26.