Why are so many college basketball players from other countries?

Michigan Wolverines star Vladislav Goldin, who is from Russia. | Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Vox reader Brian Diederich asks: Why and how do so many collegiate basketball teams — both men’s and women’s — now have so many international student-athletes?

If you’ve turned on March Madness this year, you’ve witnessed the most international players ever in college basketball’s signature competition. 

Across both the men’s and women’s brackets, 264 athletes — 15 percent of all NCAA players in the tournaments ...