*he is australian

Multi cultural country.

All recent prospects bar Mills and Jawai (any others?) have significant roots elsewhere (considering only the last few thousand years, let's say). Not like Newley, Ingles, etc have had families here for more than several generations.

But yes, I think that having a basketballer parent has probably given Exum, Simmons, Bolden, etc a handy start. These kids would've been handling a basketball and hanging around courts from a young age.

Genetics would play a part to some extent, but height is probably key too.

DMac has a kid who got somewhere, but without the forecast these three have. Cecil, Dave and Bruce were all pretty tall and coupling tall kids with early skill development wouldn't hurt. Lindsay Gaze's son is about as white as they come, but has height on his side.

As for Maker, I think height is a huge part of his appeal. Sudanese average height is pretty tall.

Most of us were proud when Loggins,Grace and Fisher represented the boomers. Dante,Ben and Jonah are Aussie born kids who will most likely represent our country. Aron Baynes was born in nz but also proud to call him a boomer

Well put Isaac. When put in this perspective the whole idea of nationalism and "Australian-ness" gets a bit arbitrary doesn't it?

"If you're going to have a flag, have a flag of a vagina. So then you can meet people and go "Oh hi where are you from? Oh, same as me, let's be friends!" - comedian Simon Amstell

Jezz, Jezz, Jezz... 'Womb' would have been a whole lot classier there mate!

Jokes asside, any athlete on the highest stage who is born here or adopts Australia as his/her home has my support.

Unless they are a drug cheat, racist, criminal or have no sportsmanship whatsovere!

Lucky for us Basketball has been fairly good on these issues (unlike some international and national sports of late).

Jez and Bear - I agree.

If we're going to pick semi-arbitrary zones and people are going to adopt those and compete, I'm keen to watch and support.

I think it's great that so many of the past imports who have been such a big part of our league, have settled here, stayed involved with the sport and raised families. Even better if their kids come up through the ranks and have a chance at tackling the world's best in Australia's colours.

Same goes with migrants or refugees.

Love seeing Majak Daw taking on what is almost our national sport despite coming through countries where AFL wouldn't even be on any radar.

Haha sorry Bear for the language! I figured cos I didn't use the word with any malicious intent it was cool but I apologise anyway.

On Majak Daw it goes to show the sort of media coverage basketball could be getting, or should be striving to get in the future, if it was able to break back into the mainstream. Hopefully this happens with some of the genuine emerging talents like Maker coming through. Daw is by no means an AFL star (at least not yet) but has attracted a lot of (mostly positive) attention, though some of the coverage has been a little ham-fisted and over the top.

I thought that Simmons, Exum and Bolden (sons) had Australian mothers, which makes this a bit different from guys like Irving and Maker.

That interview was shocking. Poor journo.

Maker is definitely on the radar.

He is Australian of Sudanese origin.

The Journo was Jonathan Givony who is actually quite highly respected and one the main guys from DraftExpress. Thon didn't really help him out with short closed answers.