By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kyle Anderson is heading to the 2023 FIBA World Cup.
Anderson, 29, officially became a Chinese citizen under the name Li Kaier, the Chinese Basketball Association announced Monday. Therefore, he is eligible to compete for the senior national team of the country as a naturalized player. He is expected to indeed play for China in the approaching World Cup.
Helping the process of gaining citizenship, his grandmother, born in Jamaica, had a Chinese father.
China was drawn in Group B of the World Cup’s preliminary round. Dealing with Serbia, South Sudan, and Puerto Rico in Quezon City’s Araneta Coliseum will determine whether the team will enter Group I or will be held to battle in classification games.
The NBA player was born and raised in the USA. Following a fruitful career in high school, he was recruited by UCLA and drafted by the San Antonio Spurs after two NCAA seasons. Selected with the 30th overall pick of the 2014 NBA draft opened the door to the league.
Over the next nine years, he logged 625 games played in the NBA between the Spurs, Memphis Grizzlies, and most recently with the Timberwolves through the 2022-23 season. Averaging 9.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.9 blocks per contest over 73 appearances painted the picture of his contribution to reaching the Playoffs and the Quarterfinals of the Western Conference, before falling to eventual champions Denver Nuggets in five games.
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