August 21, 2025 | 12:00am
A minimum of 17 Asian nations are identified to have naturalized foreign-born athletes with out ethnic heritage to play in FIBA-sanctioned competitions. The naturalization course of could or is probably not tedious. In some nations, it solely takes a presidential or a Ministry of Sports activities decree. Within the Philippines, it requires a course of the place the Home of Representatives and Senate are concerned in investigating the idea of naturalization earlier than approval or rejection.
Within the US, the company that processes naturalization instances is the US Citizenship and Immigration Providers or USCIS. An athlete confirmed to be of outstanding expertise is given the chance to be naturalized. Nigeria’s Hakeem Olajuwon and Cameroon’s Joel Embiid have been naturalized, resulting in their eligibility to signify the US. There are different necessities like minimal years of residency.
In Russia, president Vladimir Putin signed a decree to naturalize Bucknell College level guard JR Holden in 2003. Holden hit the successful basket with two seconds left to carry Russia to its first EuroBasket championship within the closing over Spain in 2007. He represented Russia on the 2008 Beijing Olympics as did one other American star Becky Hammons, a WNBA legend now the Las Vegas Aces coach. Russia has additionally naturalized 5-9 WNBA participant Epiphanny Prince of Rutgers to go well with up for the nationwide girls’s workforce.
In Japan, a number of American basketball gamers have been naturalized to signify the nation, together with JR Henderson of UCLA, Ira Brown of Gonzaga College and Nick Fazekas of the College of Nevada, all former PBA imports. Within the Japanese B-League, a workforce could enlist two “world” imports plus a naturalized or Asia quota participant. Greater than 10 naturalized gamers see motion within the B-League, together with Josh Hawkinson, Gavin Edwards, Luke Evans, Thomas Kennedy, Alex Kirk, Ryan Rossiter, Josh Harrellson, Anthony Clemmons, Donte Grantham, Brandon Davies, Sebas Saiz and Kyle Richardson.
Spain pioneered in using naturalized gamers in basketball. New York-born Cliff Luyk of the College of Florida grew to become a Spanish naturalized citizen in 1965 and represented Spain on the 1968 and 1972 Olympics and 1974 FIBA World Cup. He was joined by one other American Wayne Brabender on the Spanish workforce in 1971. On the time, FIBA allowed groups to enlist as much as two naturalized gamers.
Within the Philippines, athletes making use of for naturalization to signify the nation will not be labeled in a separate class. Beneath the legislation, their utility goes by way of Congress. Except there’s a vigorous foyer, approval may take months. Why not arrange an company like USCIS to display screen the candidates with the authority to approve instances of extraordinary athletic potential so the method isn’t so tedious? Let’s short-cut the method and facilitate the approval of overseas athletes to be naturalized. It’s executed in most nations all around the world. Within the Eighties, President Marcos issued a presidential decree to naturalize Jeff Moore and Dennis Nonetheless who performed on the final Philippine workforce to win the FIBA Asia Cup (then often known as the ABC Championships) in 1986. Is that possibility nonetheless out there?