Timberwolves’ Kyle Anderson is set to play for China in FIBA World Cup

Anderson’s maternal great grandfather was Chinese, making Anderson eligible to play for China as a naturalized citizen

Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kyle Anderson (5) dribbles down the court during the first half of an NBA basketball play-in tournament game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Friday, April 14, 2023, in Minneapolis.Abbie Parr (AP)

Beijing - Jul 25, 2023 - 10:54CEST

Minnesota Timberwolves sixth man Kyle Anderson will play for China in the FIBA Basketball World Cup starting next month.

Anderson and the Chinese Basketball Association on Monday announced Anderson’s addition to the roster. Anderson’s maternal great grandfather was Chinese, making Anderson eligible to play for China as a naturalized citizen.

“Hello, fans in China, this is Li Kai’er. I’m so happy to announce I will be representing China in the World Cup. Really proud and honored to wear the Team China jersey,” Anderson said, using his Chinese name, in a video posted on his Weibo account.

China had 18 players in its training camp last month, but coach Aleksandar Djordjevic said at the time that he could add players.

Anderson averaged 9.4 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game in his first season with the Timberwolves. He was a first-round NBA draft pick in 2014 after playing two seasons at UCLA.

China begins World Cup group play with a game against Serbia in the Philippines on Aug. 26.

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