Its a lovely thought.. but how many feel any allegiance what so ever to Australia? How many will 'Thon Maker' us? I am not sure whether having a south-sudanese specific league is neccesarily good for Australian Basketball in the long run because it segregates the community from the wider community... but then again I understand its appeal to those people. If things go well, hopefully we have some of them on the Boomers even sooner... a big 'if'.... most immigrants could give 2 shits about Australia and the freedom the country affords them and would be just as happy to play for the US national team of the oppurtunity presented itself.

YouknowMe you make some interesting points.
I would say that Dante Exum and Ben Simmons "give a shit". And I realize that they are not Sudanese.
But there ancestors would have come "Out Of Africa"

Everyone's ancestors came out of Africa.

Nice one Isaac,my ancestors come from Europe, if all our ancestors came from Africa we would all be Black?

I get so pissed off when I see people use Thon Maker's case to taint all Sudanese in Australia.

Ask someone like Majok Deng if he wants to play for Australia. A lot of those blokes do feel an allegiance to Australia.

Athleticism and the ability to dunk is one thing, footwork, defense, team structure, comprehension, vision, decision making and work ethic are also needed to play for your country.

I am sure we will see it in the future, we are seing it in AFL right now, this is only the beginning...

Well said Bear. I would also put in commitment and economic position.I think in the short term Associations need to sponsor or part sponsor some of the more talented ones?

You aren't going back far enough hughj

Not all Africans are black hughj.

hughj, and before that? Every human has ancestry in Africa.

Good point anon, because what you choose to believe has the ability to make anything true or false regardless of overwhelming evidence to the contrary.

most immigrants could give 2 shits about Australia and the freedom the country affords

Nice one Isaac,my ancestors come from Europe, if all our ancestors came from Africa we would all be Black?

KET, I like the use of a capital B for Black, it really hammers the point home nicely.

hughj's ancestors weren't Black, they were Racist.

Welcome to the "dipsh*ts commenting on things they don't understand" thread.

"Isaac I guess that depends on your beliefs"

So you don't believe in science? That's fine. The great thing about science is it is true, whether you believe in it or not.

"my ancestors come from Europe, if all our ancestors came from Africa we would all be Black"

Wow, someone didn't pay much attention in school. Derp.

youknowme,
What evidence do you have that Thon maker does not want to represent Australia?
Is it going by your comment about him being named on american team at latest adidas nations? Ben simmons would of played for one the USA team if he wasent in Boomers squads.The teams were selected on where they played they attended high school.

Ater Majok was being looked after by the same guardian and didnt play Aus Junior teams and still went on to represent Australia.

I don;t think its fair judging thon just yet. Hes a 16 yr old kid who has had a troubled life and been given a wonderful opportunity. If his heart is for Aus like Mangok Mathiang then all the best for Australia basketball.

Where exactly is the Garden of Eden? - Fixed.

daneo I am judging on him continuosly refusing chances to represent Australia at junior level. It would do his NBA prospects no harm at all to play in such a competition. I just think he doesnt care.

Africa is a real place.

Garden of Eden....not so much.

Isaac I guess that depends on your beliefs

1,Logisitcally I dont think its really that possible for him to play in national championships if he is based in the states. State teams require you attend training camps in the months leading to them. You think he would fly back to australia several times over 3 months for a training camp?

2, As mentioned before but he played in Junior nationals when he was based in Australia.

3, He didnt start playing basketball untill a few ago hence limiting him from other junior tournaments.

4, Who knows what communication and effort Basketball Australia has put in him to play in the national programme.

5, His guardian is more focused on his posopective High school and College career which would limit his National camp involvement.
No different to Ben simmons at recent nationals.

I dont think you will see now with Bolden off to US highschool his involvement with national camps may diminish.

According to the bible, humans were "made" (out of dirt and ribs, mind you) 6,000 to 10,000 years ago. To believe any of that, is nonsense.

The bible provides no logical answers for the beginnings of life, so don't even look at it for those answers.

My son believes in evolution : "It's on TV so it must be true." One time I saw that jellyfish came outta the water and we evolved from there.
Me. I believe in creation.
Adam given the devil reign , cause he sinned I got no choice, it run in my vein.

"in the Bible"

and all credibility ended with that statement.

Come on people. This thread was pretty functional till people started with the fairytales and bedtime stories!

Holy cow.......!!!!

Sorry, couldn't help myself. This thread has gone off topic a bit, no...?

1. Yes, we welcome Sudanese born Australians to play for their adopted country.

2. Yes, we welcome players of any cultural background or heritage to play for their adopted country.

Always have, always will, if they are good enough and want to play, no matter the sport.

Hey Anon

Maybe you should ask jeebus if South Sudanese should play for Australia?

Ahh... we are gonna open cans of worms here!

I am cool with Multiculturalism, if there is an element of assimilation. But I dont think it does the country any good to have segregation in the way I have seen it.

What I am against? Multireligionism! (a new word)... lets face it, there is a certain religion which is completely incompatable by nature to democracy.... they take the saying "sticks and stones" a bit too serious because they are likely to kill you with them if you draw a picture of there sacred prophet whilst merrily insulting everyone else.

LOL Can of whoop ass... opened.

Multiculturalism can be a good thing however, I have friends of all sorts of nationalities... and I think its good for Basketball too... it is not just a generalisation that blacks are more athletic... its a fact

What a ridiculous thread

Anonymous:

Read the Quran... Mate
Watch Fitna... Mate
Educate yourself.... Mate
Crime and Islam are Synonymous




Mate

Anyways. Lets just close this thread its going in the wrong direction. Will Sudanese aussies represent the Boomers? Hopefully... lets move on

"Crime and Islam are Synonymous"

Um, what?

We've turned a bball thread into one about creationism v evolution. Even Christians these days (at least in Aus) endorse evolution.

One issue is this tendency to equate "Australian" with whiteness.

Happens a bit here.. The old religion argument. lol

No we dont own him... But it would be nice to know his allegiances lay with a country that took him from living hell and gave him the opportunity to be in the position he is today, rather then chucking spears at wild boars for something to eat!

I'd just like him to say "yes in the future I would like to play for Australia".... Or... "No, the concept of thankfulness is foreign to me, I am going to naturalise american and play for them"... or "I am only interested in playing NBA".... All would be fine by me.

I am surprised no interviewer has asked whether he see's himself playing for the national team. OK, it is no 'adverse effect' on us... but having one of the most promising 7 foot 16 year old prodigys in the world wouldnt hurt now would it??

The same people who would say, he can do what he wants would be the same people to say.. how dare andrew bogut be injured and not on the team

YouknowME, can I make a suggestion? Save up all your money and go and see the world. Travel to Africa, meet the locals, get a job in a country where you've got Muslim colleagues, see the world from from someone else's perspective. You seem to be reaching a lot of conclusion about people you've never met from the comfort of your Australian lounge room, your life will be so much richer if you go and see how everyone else lives theirs.

billo FTW!

They eat wild boar?

LOL. I don't know if they eat wild boar.

Fact of the matter is, these are generalizations and I never said "every muslim" this or "every sudanese" that. Fundamentalist muslims who live directly by the quran ARE a danger to the country.. Look at England, Look at Sweden, Look anywhere for that matter... this isnt about terror attacks.. this is about not being allowed to celebrate christmas at schools, this is about our own culture being subjugated.. this is about men raping women for wearing things that in OUR country we consider normal! does every one of them do it? no, but then again not every Nazi shot a jew either!

If I met the locals in africa.. I am sure I would be endeared to many, I am sure in many places it would go perfectly fine... I am also sure that if I made myself too obvious for too long I would face racism much more obvious then it exists in Australia and the chances of me being killed due to my color would be pretty high over time (ask the average white south african in Australia why they left... )

All in All... yes generalizations... but generalizations based on facts that do exist.

This is a bit much now I think. Also fundamentalism in itself is bad, it's not limited to Islam, nor is Christianity void of fundamentalists.

fundamentalist means those who live by the literal translation of the word. The Quran is not just a religious text, it is a political ideology. Moderate Muslims have to stretch the words of the Quran out of all context to reach any kind of 'peaceful' interpretation of it. Many do this, Many are Muslim due to family tradition but live a very moderate version, but they are no more Muslim then the average Australian is Christian for celebrating Christmas. It was a book written by a warlord for times of war... there is nothing peaceful about it. When people call it "the religion of peace"... they may as well have called the blueprint for Pearl Harbor "the plan of salvation".

Fundamentalists is the word. Those who don't think Islam in Australia is a danger need to educate themselves more on the subject... Despite whether they have had the good fortune to meet some of the moderate ones.

this is about not being allowed to celebrate christmas at schools

Did you know that Australian flags and the Australian anthem is banned in Muslim schools in Australia and that teachers have been fired for trying to teach Australian history and values there.... lol. Dont tell me they dont consider us the enemy!

"fundamentalist" does not equal "radical" or "extremist" learn your vocabulary KET

Did you know that Australian flags and the Australian anthem is banned in Muslim schools in Australia and that teachers have been fired for trying to teach Australian history and values there....

KET.... actually look into it.

If you look at whats happened in France, England, Sweden... there are full suburbs in England where police wont even go... Muslim suburbs which are so dangerous as to be little different from somewhere like Afghanistan. It will happen here..

into what in particular?

Into Muslim migrations effects on western democracies if you need it so blatantly spelled out for you.

Don't worry, its all 'ignorance'.

but I bet if the planned attack on the Footy Grand Final actually was successful people would be singing a different tune!

Add insult to injury they know want prayer rooms at footy games!

Isaac, about now is the time I would really like an 'ignore user' option.

And people sometimes wonder why Australians get stereotyped as intolerant and narrow minded. It only takes one.

Well you are being 'intolerant' of my view... which I have a right to have

Either way, lets close this conversation. Who cares about this shit? Back to Basketball

XY, the whole site just got this ignore user option.

YouknowME, I think Hoops might take a break from you for a while. Please stay away and think about what you're saying.

Didn't want to really add to this thread. But I think its important to point this out.

Youknowme, you should avoid any crude categorization or homogenization of religious belief systems and civilizations. Muslim communities and nations hold a great diversity of interpretations of Islam, and have very varied historical responses and paths towards modernization.

Christian radicalism is also a prevalent issue. Unfortunately, the media of the day gravitate to instances of islamic radicalism much more.

The guy who killed those people in Norway described himself as a "christian crusader". The K.K.K. have a Protestant base.
Not to mention what so called "Christian" rulers of the medieval time period did to certain people.

Radicalism exists everywhere -- some more than others. But everywhere nonetheless. Studying at university, I even came across a radical buddhist group in Asia that had some particularly violent methods of sorting stuff out.

i noticed hughj kept out of the conversation after jumping on his high horse and backing it up with some uneducated comments. maybe he should do some reading first before he make's comments. by the way Dante Exum and Ben Simmons where born in Australia making them Australian, or was this just him making racist implications that all non white people should be thought of as the same other than individual people.

Because a statement like "Crime and Islam are Synonymous" goes beyond an opinion.

It's religious vilification.

Hopefully Thon Maker does end up playing for Australia but time will tell. From an NBL point of view looking forward to seeing Mathiang Muo play for the wildcats

rhea88 - I am aware that Dante Exum and Ben Simmons were born in Australia.Their fathers came from America to play for Melb/tigers.Their family tree would trace back to Africa.I am amazed how the thread has turned into a racist rant when I simply said that I thought(and I believe it)that the Sudanese would in the near future represent Australia(as Autralians) - I am looking forward to that day.We already have had numerous different ethnic players represent Australia.