[Memphisboy14Participant]

My homeboy and I were just talking the other day about international players and we ended up talking about Dante Exum, Kyrie Irving and Ben Simmons.

For one you should know that my friend is an idiot. He really tried to tell me that Kyrie Irving wasn’t American and should be playing for the Australian Men’s National team instead of the USA’s team. For those of you who don’t know Kyrie Irving’s dad played basketball professionally in Melbourne, Australia and had Kyrie when he lived there. He also didn’t know that Kyrie really grew up in New Jersey. I had to explain to him that no matter where you are born if at least one of your parents are American then you are an American citizen.

Then it hit me. While it’s probably never going to happen technically Ben Simmons and Dante Exum could play for the USA Men’s Team in either the FIBA or Olympics. Completely slipped my mind that while both were raised in Australia both of their fathers are American. Granted I’m sure they don’t identify themselves as Americans (understandably so) but I never thought about the fact that they are also American citizens.

[CavFanPRParticipant]

Dante Exum could actually play in the NBA one day (if healthy).

[CavFanPRParticipant]

Dante Exum could actually play in the NBA one day (if healthy).

[XYRYXParticipant]

I just looked this up and it’s true, that in both cases one (or both) the parents have US citizenship, then they have the US citizenship along with the Australian citizenship. 

BUT if the player has played in one or more games for the national A team (means not the U23, U21, U19 etc.) teams, he is not eligible to play for another country. I know this, because many german football (soccer) players with immigration background played the german U19 teams and ultimately decided to play for their origin country and that is okay if it ‘only’ the UXX team. 

So if Exum or Simmons play one or more games for the Australian national A team, they can’t play for the US team in international competition anymore even if they technically still have the US citizenship as their 2nd citizenship. 

Have Exum and Simmons already played for the Australian national A team yet??

[Memphisboy14Participant]

 Smart man. I knew there would be some kind of technicality behind it. Should’ve done more research thanks.

[Memphisboy14Participant]

 Smart man. I knew there would be some kind of technicality behind it. Should’ve done more research thanks.

[XYRYXParticipant]

I just looked this up and it’s true, that in both cases one (or both) the parents have US citizenship, then they have the US citizenship along with the Australian citizenship. 

BUT if the player has played in one or more games for the national A team (means not the U23, U21, U19 etc.) teams, he is not eligible to play for another country. I know this, because many german football (soccer) players with immigration background played the german U19 teams and ultimately decided to play for their origin country and that is okay if it ‘only’ the UXX team. 

So if Exum or Simmons play one or more games for the Australian national A team, they can’t play for the US team in international competition anymore even if they technically still have the US citizenship as their 2nd citizenship. 

Have Exum and Simmons already played for the Australian national A team yet??

[ChoppyParticipant]

 Exum has, Simmons hasn’t as yet I don’t believe. I think he was part of the extended squad from which the team was chosen, so I don’t know if that makes a difference. To my knowledge, Simmons has always expressed a desire to represent the Boomers one day. 

[ChoppyParticipant]

 Exum has, Simmons hasn’t as yet I don’t believe. I think he was part of the extended squad from which the team was chosen, so I don’t know if that makes a difference. To my knowledge, Simmons has always expressed a desire to represent the Boomers one day. 

[Hype Machine]

Simmons played a game against NZ when he was 16, so hes locked in, not that it would have mattered.

Leaving him out of the last FIBA WC’s was possibly the dumbest move in Australian Basketball History. How Andrej Lemanis still has a job is beyond me. 

Unsurprisingly, Exum and Bogut are out. Id expect a couple more to drop out too.

Maker has committed to playing for the national team but is also out. Once again….Lemanis with the inability to build a rapport with our young stars.

Not to mention he threw a game in the last WCs vs Angola….which might fly in other parts of the world but doesnt in Australia.

Worst coach in Boomers history.  Not too late to sack the kiwi muppet.

[Hype Machine]

Simmons played a game against NZ when he was 16, so hes locked in, not that it would have mattered.

Leaving him out of the last FIBA WC’s was possibly the dumbest move in Australian Basketball History. How Andrej Lemanis still has a job is beyond me. 

Unsurprisingly, Exum and Bogut are out. Id expect a couple more to drop out too.

Maker has committed to playing for the national team but is also out. Once again….Lemanis with the inability to build a rapport with our young stars.

Not to mention he threw a game in the last WCs vs Angola….which might fly in other parts of the world but doesnt in Australia.

Worst coach in Boomers history.  Not too late to sack the kiwi muppet.

[ChoppyParticipant]

 Could we get Brett Brown back lol? 

[ChoppyParticipant]

 Could we get Brett Brown back lol? 

[nath09Participant]

It was super smart to play Simmons as a 16 year old. Hehad no real impact but certainly made him an Aussie for life. Should have thrown Kyrie in the green and gold as a kid.  I can’t remember Kyrie’s Dad but Exum and Simmons fathers were big names in the Australian league, that allowed them to make a career out of basketball so I think they’d be happy for their boys to represent the country that gave them the opportunity to make a living doing what they love.

[nath09Participant]

It was super smart to play Simmons as a 16 year old. Hehad no real impact but certainly made him an Aussie for life. Should have thrown Kyrie in the green and gold as a kid.  I can’t remember Kyrie’s Dad but Exum and Simmons fathers were big names in the Australian league, that allowed them to make a career out of basketball so I think they’d be happy for their boys to represent the country that gave them the opportunity to make a living doing what they love.

[Hype Machine]

I don’t think it has much to do with their parents blessing….they’re born in Australia, raised in Australia and consider themselves Australian. If my dad wanted me to play for the UK Darts team, I’d laugh at him and tell him to go drink a warm beer. 

People who suggest that they need to "lock in" guys like Exum, Simmons and Maker are making a mockery out of the honour it is to play for your country.

If they consider themselves Australian, then thats the team they will play for. If they don’t consider themselves Australian, then thats fine….we shouldn’t want them on the team. 

It reminds me of that time that Canadian downhill skier won a Winter Olympic gold medal in an event called "Mogul" that none of us had ever heard of, simply because he decided to train in Australia during the Canadian Summer. It didn’t fill me with national pride, thats for sure. 

Its an embarassment to see the national team in the past resort to Americans who simply played a few years professionally in Australia. They aren’t Australian, wouldn’t consider themselves Australian and shouldn’t take an opportunity away from an Australian. I’m talking about guys like Shawn Redhage, Ricky Grace, Leroy Loggins etc. 

If a dual citizen like Thon Maker decides he’s Sudanese and wants to represent that team…I’m happy with that. If he consders himself Australian, then he can play on our team. But people who aren’t a particular nationality that play for another countries national team Eg Olajuwon, Blatche and that strangely dark-skinned russian Point Guard etc are taking away more than they are giving to international basketball. 

Its about representing your country first and foremost, and winning comes after that. 

 

[Hype Machine]

I don’t think it has much to do with their parents blessing….they’re born in Australia, raised in Australia and consider themselves Australian. If my dad wanted me to play for the UK Darts team, I’d laugh at him and tell him to go drink a warm beer. 

People who suggest that they need to "lock in" guys like Exum, Simmons and Maker are making a mockery out of the honour it is to play for your country.

If they consider themselves Australian, then thats the team they will play for. If they don’t consider themselves Australian, then thats fine….we shouldn’t want them on the team. 

It reminds me of that time that Canadian downhill skier won a Winter Olympic gold medal in an event called "Mogul" that none of us had ever heard of, simply because he decided to train in Australia during the Canadian Summer. It didn’t fill me with national pride, thats for sure. 

Its an embarassment to see the national team in the past resort to Americans who simply played a few years professionally in Australia. They aren’t Australian, wouldn’t consider themselves Australian and shouldn’t take an opportunity away from an Australian. I’m talking about guys like Shawn Redhage, Ricky Grace, Leroy Loggins etc. 

If a dual citizen like Thon Maker decides he’s Sudanese and wants to represent that team…I’m happy with that. If he consders himself Australian, then he can play on our team. But people who aren’t a particular nationality that play for another countries national team Eg Olajuwon, Blatche and that strangely dark-skinned russian Point Guard etc are taking away more than they are giving to international basketball. 

Its about representing your country first and foremost, and winning comes after that. 

 

[kobyzParticipant]

 Like andrey blatch is philipino…

[kobyzParticipant]

 Like andrey blatch is philipino…

[Memphis MadnessParticipant]

 What about TOMORROW?

Can we get Ben Simmons the Zika Warriors Traveling All Star Team?

Hold up Harrison Barnes at the airport.

Have the TSA flag him.

ANYTHING.

#benrio!

 

 

 

 

 

[Memphis MadnessParticipant]

 What about TOMORROW?

Can we get Ben Simmons the Zika Warriors Traveling All Star Team?

Hold up Harrison Barnes at the airport.

Have the TSA flag him.

ANYTHING.

#benrio!

 

 

 

 

 

[Author]

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