The star of the Dallas Mavericks, Kyrie Irving, told journalists during the All-Star weekend that he wants to play for Australia at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Irving was born in Melbourne while his father played for the Bulleen Boomers of the now missing basketball league of Southeast Australia, and has Australian citizenship.
“We are in the process of [making the switch from Team USA] At this time, “Irving said on Sunday.” I just try to discover what will be the best route for me to be eligible. There are many documents between that.
“The US team. Uu. It still has a decision to make. I’m just trying to do my best. Honestly, if I can be an Australian at a time of my career and play for the Australian team, it would be great.”
Irving, 32, has played for the US team. On numerous occasions, including the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympic Games, where it helped Americans win gold medals. I was not in the last two Olympic lists of the US team.
According to FIBA rules, players competing for a country after turning 17 are linked to that country unless the secretary general, currently Andreas Zagklis of Greece, authorizes a change in “exceptional circumstances.”
By FIBA manualZagklis will have to consider the following in your decision:
- The impact of change on basketball development in countries or territories involved.
- The basketball level in the countries involved, such as its world and continental ranking and recent results.
- The potential effect of the change in the competitive balance of FIBA’s official competitions.
- The circumstances of the player’s participation with the previous national team.
At this point, it is not clear if Irving’s request to change Australia will be authorized as the approval of the USA Basketball and Basketball Australia, in addition to FIBA. It is worth noting that Klay Thompson recently tried to make a similar movement to play for the Bahamas, but was denied. Similarly, on the women’s side, Nneka Ogwumike and Elizabeth Williams were prevented from playing for Nigeria.
If Irving is allowed to adapt to Australia, it has the support of the Australian legend Andrew Gaze, who played for the boomers in the five Olympic Games.
“Why wouldn’t you be? [excited]? Is a superstar of NBA And it has been for many years ” Gaze said in a recent interview. “” Sometimes he has ideas about other things, but from a basketball perspective he is still playing at a very elite level. Hopefully they can find a way to make it come true. “
Team Australia won the bronze in the 2020 Tokyo Games, but did not measure in Paris last summer after a defeat against Serbia in the quarterfinals.
