The globalization of basketball for the better part of two decades has undeniably changed the NBA landscape, with all 30 teams heightening their investments in international scouting and mining the world for undiscovered prospects.

The international influence arguably reached its zenith last season; a record 15 foreign-born players were selected in the first round of the draft, players like Nikola Jokic, Kristaps Porzingis and Rudy Gobert emerged as cornerstone pieces for their teams and the greatest international player of all time, Dirk Nowitzki, became the sixth player in NBA history to score 30,000 career points.

While the 2017 crop of foreign imports isn't held in as high esteem as last year's and most likely lacks a single player that will ever enter the Jokic/Porzingis/Gobert realm, there's still a number of players capable of making an impact for their teams this season or beyond. In an effort to simplify how each newcomer fits in, I've organized these prospects into four tiers:

Building Blocks: Players who should be key rotation pieces in 2017-18 and major pillars of their respective team's long-term plans.

Rotation Players: Players who should hold down or challenge for rotation spots in 2017-18, but not necessarily beyond.

Developmental Prospects: Players who aren't expected to challenge for rotation spots in 2017-18, but could contribute in future seasons.

Roster Filler: Players who won't challenge for rotation spots in 2017-18 and don't hold much long-term value to their respective teams.

Building Blocks

In order to translate his considerable talent into lasting fantasy value, however, Ntilikina will first need to add weight and show some improvement as a scorer and perimeter shooter. It's unlikely that the 19-year-old Ntilikina will be able to meet both of those goals right away as he makes a major jump in terms of competition, and the Knicks are seemingly cognizant of that. Veteran Ramon Sessions was signed in July to provide a placeholder at point guard until Ntilikina is deemed ready to run the show, likely at some point later in 2017-18.

Once Ntilikina takes over as a starter, he'll likely be in store for big minutes, which could allow him to put up some juicy stat lines, but an expected lack of efficiency might limit the impact of most of his outputs. Ntilikina is still positioned well to make the biggest splash of any international newcomer in 2017-18, but it will likely be several years before he reaches his peak as a fantasy commodity.

Bogdan Bogdanovic, G, Sacramento Kings
A late first-round pick of the Suns in 2014, Bogdanovic was stashed overseas following his selection and has seen his stock skyrocket ever since. The 25-year-old has spent the last three seasons with Fenerbahce of Turkey, leading the club to its first EuroLeague championship in 2016-17 after averaging 14.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 27.9 minutes per game while hitting 50 percent of his attempts from the field and 43 percent of his attempts from 3-point range. He only saw his profile grow in the summer, when he led his native Serbia to a second-place finish in EuroBasket 2017, which included a 22-point showing in the title game.

The Kings, who acquired his rights in 2016 as part of a draft-day deal, were able to lure Bogdanovic stateside in July on a three-year, $27 million contract, making him the highest-paid rookie in NBA history. Though he'll face still competition for minutes on the wing with Buddy Hield, George Hill and Garrett Temple all in the fold, Bogdanovic's size (6-foot-6, 205 pounds) and ability to handle the ball won't result in the Kings pigeonholing him as a spot-up shooter. Like most rookies, Bogdanovic will likely face some difficulties on the defensive end in his transition to the NBA, but his combination of excellent long-range shooting and playmaking skills may prove too alluring for coach Dave Joerger to bury him on the bench.

Bogdanovic should make for a worthy late-round flier in deeper drafts for fantasy owners in need of scoring and 3-point production, though owners in single-season leagues shouldn't hesitate to cut him in the event he fails to earn a consistent spot in the rotation in the early going. Like Ntilikina, Bogdanovic carries more appeal in dynasty formats.

Rotation Players

Given that he's still at the tail end of his prime and boasts ample experience against high-caliber competition both at the club and international level, Teodosic looks capable of earning a spot in the rotation right away as he makes the jump to the NBA. It's expected that he'll enter training camp as the top backup to projected starting point guard Patrick Beverley, but thanks to his strong perimeter shooting, Teodosic should be a usable option for coach Doc Rivers alongside Beverley or Austin Rivers at either backcourt spot. Teodosic will probably take on more of a pass-first role than he enjoyed with CSKA Moscow due to the superior talent surrounding him in Los Angeles, but the prospect of healthy minutes either as a starter or member of the second unit could allow him to provide enough production in the points, assists and three-pointers categories to make for a decent late-round target in deeper fantasy leagues.

Ekpe Udoh, C/F, Utah Jazz
The No. 6 overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft, Udoh previously had a rather undistinguished five-year run in the league with the Warriors, Bucks and Clippers, averaging 4.0 points and 3.2 rebounds in 16.9 minutes per game over 270 appearances. After garnering limited interest in the NBA during the summer of 2015, Udoh bolted overseas in search of greater job security. Upon signing on with Fenerbahce of Turkey, Udoh emerged as one of the top players in the EuroLeague. The 30-year-old earned EuroLeague Final Four MVP honors and a spot on the circuit's all-league team in 2016-17, averaging 20.7 points and 7.8 rebounds in 32.0 minutes per game.

While the step back in quality of competition during his two seasons abroad shouldn't be ignored, Udoh demonstrated significant improvement as an interior scorer while retaining the rim-protecting and rebounding skills that had previously been his main avenue to an NBA rotation spot. The Jazz, who signed Udoh to a two-year, $6.5 million deal this summer, are banking on the big man carrying over some of those gains he made on the offensive end in his return to the NBA. The team is hopeful that Udoh will settle in as a capable backup option in the frontcourt, with most of his responsibilities likely to come as the primary understudy to starting center Rudy Gobert. However, Udoh can also step in at power forward when needed, and given Derrick Favors' troubling injury history, it's not difficult to envision Udoh seeing meaningful minutes at the position at some point in 2017-18.

Guerschon Yabusele, F/C, Boston Celtics
After the Celtics were unable to parlay their surplus of first-round draft picks in 2016 into a star player, general manager Danny Ainge used one of those selections on Yabusele, a French-born power forward. Due to the team's lack of available roster spots, the Celtics had always viewed Yabusele as a draft-and-stash player, but even the organization may have been surprised just how rapidly the 21-year-old developed abroad. While suiting up in 43 games for the Shanghai Sharks of the Chinese Basketball Association last season, Yabusele averaged 20.9 points, 9.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game, impressing the Celtics' brass with his outside shooting and ability to play both frontcourt spots.

Listed at 6-foot-8 and 270 pounds, Yabusele lacks the lengthy, lithe frame of the prototypical NBA frontcourt player, but he makes up for it by being incredibly mobile for a player with his body composition. Though surgery to remove bone spurs from both his feet kept him off the floor during the Las Vegas Summer League, Yabusele flashed enough potential during his time in the CBA for the Celtics to sign him in July. Yabusele should receive a fair shot at claiming a reserve role in the frontcourt during training camp, likely competing with free-agent pickup Aron Baynes and No. 3 overall pick Jayson Tatum for a spot on the second unit. It's not expected that Yabusele's standing as a bench player for an Eastern Conference power will yield enough minutes for him to bring value in single-season fantasy leagues, but he'll at least be an interesting player to monitor in dynasty settings.

Darius Miller, F, New Orleans Pelicans
Like Udoh, Miller previously had a lackluster run in the NBA to begin his professional career before leaving for the greener pastures of Europe. The 6-foot-8 forward spent the last two seasons with German club Brose Bamberg, lifting the team to Bundesliga titles in both campaigns. He attracted renewed interest from NBA teams after shooting 41.1 percent from 3-point range in his final campaign with Bamberg, ultimately agreeing to a two-year, $4.3 million contract with the Pelicans, the same franchise with whom he started his career.

After averaging just 14.3 minutes per game in 102 appearances in his first go-around in the NBA, Miller could be primed for a larger role in his second stint with New Orleans if he's able to keep lighting it up from long range like he did in Europe. The Pelicans ranked in the bottom half of the league in 2016-17 with a 35 percent mark from distance, with the team's small forwards in particular struggling to provide much impact beyond the arc. With Solomon Hill (hamstring) potentially out through the All-Star break and the team's next-best alternatives at small forward, Tony Allen and E'Twaun Moore, both lacking ideal size for the position, Miller could emerge from the group to seize a starting role.

Much like Hill a season ago, it's unlikely Miller would see many touches on offense while sharing the floor with high-usage options like Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins, but as long as he keeps defenses honest by knocking down perimeter shots at a steady clip, the Pelicans will probably be satisfied.

Developmental Prospects

While that's a good foundation for Ferguson to work with, not unlike most teenagers transitioning to the pro game, he's a below-average defender at this stage of his development and is in need of further refinement as an off-the-ball scorer. A rebuilding franchise might be willing to live with Ferguson's mistakes and find a way to consistently hand him light minutes off the bench as a rookie, but the Thunder, who selected him with the 21st overall pick in June, are in win-now mode and likely aren't banking on him earning a rotation spot in 2017-18. As a result, look for Ferguson to see extensive time with the Thunder's G League affiliate, the Oklahoma City Blue, in his inaugural NBA campaign.

Furkan Korkmaz, G/F, Philadelphia 76ers
The last of the 76ers' three first-round draft picks in 2016, Korkmaz elected to remain abroad and spend the 2016-17 campaign in his native Turkey with Anadolu Efes. Coming out of the draft, the 6-foot-7 Korkmaz was touted for his smooth outside shooting, an assessment he validated last season with a 43.7 percent mark from distance. After getting that extra year of development in Turkey, Korkmaz was deemed ready to make the move to Philadelphia and officially signed his rookie contract with the team in July.

Though outside shooting has been a weakness for the 76ers throughout their multi-year rebuild, it's not expected that Korkmaz will be called upon to provide much assistance on that front upon his arrival to the NBA. Along with boasting two similarly youthful, but more NBA-ready options at shooting guard in Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot and Markelle Fultz, the 76ers signed an established marksman in J.J. Redick this summer, essentially eliminating any need for the team to count on Korkmaz to contribute as a rookie. Instead, Korkmaz is expected to split time between the NBA team and the G League's Delaware 87ers, with most of the minutes he plays this season likely to come with the latter squad.

If Korkmaz is able to make major strides on the defensive end and convince the 76ers that he's more than simply a shooting specialist, he could put himself in position for a spot in the rotation in 2018-19. That being said, it seems rather unlikely that even at his peak, Korkmaz will offer the sort of well-rounded statistical portfolio that would make him a must-start fantasy option.

Ante Zizic, C, Cleveland Cavaliers
Along with the aforementioned Yabusele, Zizic was the other draft-and-stash international player the Celtics selected in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft. The 6-foot-11 center was largely viewed as a throw-in for the Cavaliers in the August blockbuster that sent Kyrie Irving back to the Celtics, but there's some reason to be bullish about him emerging as a rotation piece for Cleveland down the line. The 20-year-old has drawn rave reviews for his intensity in attacking the glass and willingness to run the floor, which could make him a nightly double-double threat if he's handed starter-level minutes once he reaches maturity.

Unfortunately, Zizic's lack of a perimeter game makes him a bit of a relic from a bygone era, as teams are increasingly prioritizing floor spacing from their centers on the offensive end. That may end up confining Zizic to a backup role over the long haul, but he'll do well just to crack the rotation at any point in his first NBA season. The Cavaliers are most likely earmarking Zizic for extended run with the G League's Canton Charge in 2017-18.

Zhou Qi, C/PF, Houston Rockets
While Zhou's age -- he's listed as a 21-year-old -- remains under some scrutiny, there's no disputing that he was the top big man in Chinese Basketball Association last season, with some talent evaluators going as far as labeling him the best homegrown player from the country since Yao Ming.

The 2016 second-round pick will now get the chance to follow the trail Yao blazed to Houston a decade and a half earlier, as Zhou inked a four-year contract with the Rockets this summer to head westward. As a 7-foot-2 big man with 3-point range and rim-protecting abilities, Zhou would seem to be a natural fit for a run-and-gun Rockets squad that places a premium on both of those skills, but with Clint Capela, Ryan Anderson, Nene Hilario and a bevy of other experienced frontcourt players on hand, the Chinese import won't be counted on as a rookie. Instead, look for Zhou to gain familiarity with the NBA game by playing heavy minutes with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the G League, with occasional cameos with the Rockets sprinkled in.

Rade Zagorac, F/G, Memphis Grizzlies
Despite his second-round pedigree, Zagorac, who was selected 35th overall in the 2016 NBA Draft, secured a fairly significant commitment from the Grizzlies this summer, signing a three-year contract with the first two years guaranteed. The Grizzlies elected to bring Zagorac over following a solid showing in the Adriatic League last season, when he averaged 15.0 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 29.5 minutes per game.

The swingman appears on solid ground to earn a spot on the 15-man roster coming out of training camp, but an underwhelming showing during the summer league did little to provide much hope that his achievements overseas will translate to NBA success, at least in 2017-18. Zagorac will likely see most of his opportunities in the G League to begin the season, and if he impresses there, coach David Fizdale could consider breaking the 22-year-old into the NBA rotation.

Roster Filler

Daniel Theis, F/C, Boston Celtics
Theis, a 6-foot-9 big man from Germany, went undrafted when first eligible in 2013, but has steadily garnered more interest from NBA teams through his performance in the Bundesliga the past several seasons. A teammate of Miller's with Brose Bamberg, Theis averaged 9.5 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 18.9 minutes per game during Bundesliga play in 2016-17 and took home Defensive Player of the Year honors.

Theis was able to parlay those accomplishments into a two-year contract with the Celtics this summer, but he won't be guaranteed a roster spot during the upcoming campaign and will likely struggle to find minutes at power forward or center if he does crack the 15-man roster. Should he defy the odds and earn a consistent spot in the Celtics' rotation, Theis would likely provide most of his impact as a shot blocker, rebounder and outside shooter.

Shane Larkin, G, Boston Celtics
Larkin, who inked a one-year, fully guaranteed deal with the Celtics in July, returns to the NBA following a one-year hiatus in Spain, where he suited up with Baskonia of the ACB League. The 18th overall pick of the 2013 NBA Draft, Larkin showcased more scoring ability during his time overseas, but still struggled to a 33.8 percent mark from 3-point range. The lack of a perimeter game -- along with poor defense -- hindered Larkin during his first foray in the NBA, resulting in him bouncing around between three teams in three seasons.

It's unlikely that Larkin will become an asset in either area in his return to the league, but his athleticism and speed could make him a decent spark plug off the bench on nights when Kyrie Irving, Terry Rozier or Marcus Smart aren't playing up to par. Even so, Larkin will rank no better than third on the depth chart at point guard, making him a non-entity in the fantasy realm when the team is at full health in the backcourt.