"Them Folk Got Wembanyama. They'll Be Aight." — College Sport Won't Be.

Anthony Edwards. Ant Man. 2026 All-Star Game MVP.

When asked about being the face of the league in a post-Lebron era, he answered...

“Man, them folk got Wembanyama. That's what they got going on. They got Wembanyama. They'll be aight."

And it was not the first time.

A year ago, during the 2025 NBA All Star Weekend, he said the same thing in a different way: “That’s what they got Wemby for.”

Two All Star weekends. Back to back seasons. Same message.

Not a coincidence.

Edwards is a competitor by every definition in the dictionary.

But when the American superstar from Atlanta was asked whether he could be the next face of the NBA, he endorsed The Alien born in Le Chesnay, France.

In moments like this, most people become commentators.

They react.

They retweet.

They argue about narratives.

My work is different. I build.

I study athlete mobility and sport labor migration.

I work inside athletic departments.

I design career pathways.

I build cross-border partnerships.

I’m not predicting the future of global college sport. I’m helping architect it.

That is the lens with which I study, write, and lead.

Global sport is not coming. It is already here.

The question is whether college sport is ready for the moment.

Because the NBA does not just represent the game of basketball.

It represents sport's global future.

Here's why this matters.

Athletic departments were recently named one of the biggest risks for colleges and universities. In the 2026 Top Risks Report from United Educators, athletics cracked the top 10 for the first time (10th), with 11% of institutions surveyed naming it as a major risk and explicitly pointing to growing NIL complexities.

But this is where I see the opportunity.

Internationalization can quickly turn an athletic department into an institutional asset when it is done with intention.

Not by chasing new talent or trying to compete in the next global game, but by building global infrastructure that nets wins for the whole institution (e.g. enrollment, international athlete development, experiential learning, and career outcomes.)

Anthony Edwards did not create globalization.

He revealed how far along it is.

And when the 2026 NBA All-Star MVP stamps the French phenom as the next face of the league, it's proof that international athletes are no longer a subplot.

They can be the main storyline.

Sure, the last 7 NBA MVP Awards have been won by international players.

That award reflects talent.

The face of the league? That's different.

This distinction determines the NBA's identity, story, and future growth.

College sport is next.

College sport is sitting in a tension it can’t avoid much longer.

College athletics is recruiting and competing globally, but building locally.

This gap is going to cost departments real competitive advantage and institutions a lot of money.

It will compromise athlete trust.

It will harm career outcomes.

It will weaken institutional brand.

Internationalization can’t just be a recruiting tactic or international team tour.

It has to be a departmental strategy.

Not a holiday potluck dinner. Not a flag graphic.

Not "international athletes bring diversity."

Not “here's who we have competing in the Olympics.”

A strategy.

If you want to be serious about internationalization in college sport, here are five places to start:

1. Recruiting that comes with a comprehensive support system. International athletes and their village are not choosing a jersey or school colors. They are choosing an education system, career preparedness, and long-term outcomes.

2. Onboarding and ongoing transition. The first 90 days matter. Banking, housing, academic norms, food and nutrition, healthcare, and campus traditions. So do the next 3.5 years.

3. Compliance and immigration education that does not feel like punishment. Teach the rules early, clearly, often, and with care. So athletes can move with confidence, not fear.

4. Career development designed for reality. Work authorization, timelines, travel, family obligations, national team responsibilities. Career readiness has to include global pathways and employers prepared to hire global talent.

5. Alumni networks activated as infrastructure. Alumni abroad are your footprint, ambassadors, and employer partners. Get creative.

   
   

I don’t write about college sport internationalization because it’s trendy.

I write about it because the future of college sport is global.

The NBA got Wemby.

College sport got work to do.

Every college athletics department needs an internationalization strategy.

It’s happening. We walking!!

TFB

Walk With TFB specializes in international athlete development, internationalization strategy, and sports diplomacy. We support international athletes across their full journey, from recruitment through career readiness, and we help institutions build comprehensive, values-aligned strategies for global engagement.

If your athletic department or institution is navigating international recruitment, compliance and athlete support, or developing global partnerships and sport-based diplomacy initiatives, we can help. 

For more information, email WalkWithTFB@gmail.com.