NBA player Kyle Anderson has made the decision to switch his allegiance from the United States to China.
After completing the naturalisation process, Anderson, who currently plays for the Minnesota Timberwolves, will represent China in the upcoming FIBA World Cup. The move makes him the first basketball player to become a Chinese citizen and play for the national team. Anderson, 29, was born in New York and has a Chinese great-grandfather.
Earlier this year, he expressed his consideration of switching his allegiance to China. In recent times, China has naturalised several athletes, and Anderson's decision adds to the trend.
The Chinese Basketball Association confirmed Anderson's new citizenship and his meeting with Yao Ming, the chairman of the association. Anderson took to social media to announce his availability to play for China at the World Cup, reports the Express US.
In a video posted on his Weibo account, he said: "I'm so happy to announce that I will be representing China at the World Cup. Really proud and honored to wear the Team China jersey." China have already announced an 18-man squad for the tournament, but the final roster will be confirmed after a technical meeting.
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FIBA, the international basketball federation, allows each country participating in the Olympics to have one naturalised player on their team, meaning Anderson could also represent China at the Paris Games in 2024. However, it is unclear whether Anderson has renounced his US nationality, as China have strict rules regarding dual nationality for its citizens.
Anderson's connection to his Chinese ancestry goes back to 2018 when he discovered his maternal grandmother's Chinese roots. During a visit to the village of Shenzhen with his mother, they had the opportunity to meet some of their long-lost relatives.
Anderson's maternal grandmother was born in Jamaica to a Chinese father (Harry How/Getty Images)Reflecting on the experience, Anderson said: "Just being able to go back generations and find relatives from the other side of the world was just so breathtaking. I still don't have the words to describe what we felt there and how nice the people were, meeting them. It was awesome."
Through a partnership with the Chinese-based media company Acorn Entertainment, Anderson and his mother were able to connect with approximately 30 relatives in China. Anderson credits his mother's dedication to the research and the countless hours she put into finding their relatives.
He said at the time: "Just being able to go back generations and find relatives from the other side of the world was just so breathtaking. I still don’t have the words to describe what we felt there and how nice the people were, meeting them. It was awesome."
This article was crafted with the help of AI tools, which speed up Mirror.co.uk ’s editorial research. A content editor reviewed this content before it was published. You can report any errors to readercomplaints@reachplc.com .
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