Already played for the USA and as Australia is not a 'developing basketball nation' so he can't.

Any FIBA official that watched Brian's attempt at last tournament may believe the argument.

You would think someone like Kyrie will know there is almost zero possibility of this getting over the line

Kyrie also thinks the Earth is flat so I doubt it.

Why? I can't see Kyrie Irving wanting to be a part of any team that has as little chance of gold. Does this mean that Irving thinks that Australia is gold-bound and he can be the difference?

If he was playing for Aus and aspiring to join the USA team, I could understand his desire. But this makes no sense. It's like an NBA superstar chasing an NBL gig.

The context in which he said this was a throwaway line to an Aussie reporter at the all star weekend.

Not according to the news that I just saw. Certainly not a done deal and probably no more than chatter but it's making the news.

It's Kyrie Irving. Enough said, he is as delusional as Ben Simmons.

He has reportedly been saying that for a while now and says he is Australian (which he is with his dual citizenship).

He will not make the USA Team for the LA Olympics but a good chance to make the Australia Team. Playing in the Olympics is the goal and perhaps a minor medal is possible so why not consider.

A few hurdles to jump before it happens.

I would agree, Ushiro. Especially if he's playing a 'home’ Olympics for him.

I think the Aussie passport is just a convenient way to get there quickly; otherwise he might need to play for somewhere with looser citizenship requirements and a realistic chance of making the Olympics, and there can’t be too many of those around.

I wouldn't rule it out at all.

Kyrie has probably been blacklisted from USA Basketball. He's a bit of an out there dude, and trying to make a point by achieving something Australia could be an angle here. Might even be a package deal with Ben Simmons, you know, let's get together and make history.

It might sound absolutely ridiculous on paper, but this is Kyrie and Sen Bimmons we're talking about.

USA Basketball are not going to release Kyrie and exponentially improve Australia's roster. As previously mentioned countries generally release players to developing countries, not countries who are ranked 7th in the World.

Would be extremely unlikely thon maker couldn't even get cleared to play for South Sudan and that was with basketball Australia’s full blessing .

Do we want him? I know the talent but there is something that feels wrong about just taking a guy in just because he want to play. He has no real connection or spent any real time here. I would rather run with our mob who bleed green and gold.

No thanks

looking impartially, there's no way that FIBA should allow him to play for us. We're not a developing basketball nation.

Especially if they're not going to release Thon for SSD.

We are developing, relative to the US. Being facetious of course, but you can easily see how FIBA could spin this. I mean, we live in a world where the richest man in the world has convinced the everyday people that he isn't rampantly syphoning their wealth. ANYTHING IS POOOOSSSSSSIBBBBBLEEEEEE

Agreed, Cram.

The relevant FIBA rules (from FIBA Internal Regultions - Book 3) that relate:

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18. Any player who has played (i.e. appeared on the Final Team Delegation Roster) in a main official competition of FIBA (including 3x3 Competition) for a national team for which the player is eligible is considered as having chosen the national team of that country.

19. Choices made under articles 3-16, 3-17 and 3-18 are irrevocable, with the exception of cases provided for under articles 3-22, 3-23, and 3-33.

---

Here is Section 23 that relates that allows for excemption under specific circumstances:

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23. A player who has played (see article 3-18) for a national team in a main official competition of FIBA (see article 2-3) after having reached his or her seventeenth (17th) birthday may not play for a national team of another country. However, in exceptional circumstances the Secretary General may authorise such a player to play for the national team of another country if the change is in the best interest of basketball. In case the Secretary General decides, in his sole discretion, to examine such application, he shall consider the totality of the circumstances, including, inter alia, the following:
a. thenimpact of the change in the development of basketball in the countries or territories involved;
b. the level of basketball in the countries involved, such as ther world and continental ranking and recent results;
c. the potential effect of the change in the competitive balance of FIBA Official Competitions, and;
d. the circumstamnces of the participation of the Player with the previous National Team

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All of this from Kyrie is media publicity. It is not going to happen.

Sorry for typos...

It doesn't pass fiba rules, any rules, it’s not happening, just media clicks.

I don't remember the detail but I think Irving has previously said he very much considered himself Australian at the time and always wanted to play for Australia but was pressured into playing for the US national team and didn’t understand the gravity of then not being eligible for boomers selection. So, it is possible the case is being made under para (d) of the grounds listed above by LC. Whether any of that has any merit is of course something we are completely blind to and can only speculate in terms of his prospects for a favourable outcome.

If Basketball Australia couldn't pull a few strings to get Cotton in then I wouldn't be holding my breath here.

"I don't remember the detail but I think Irving has previously said he very much considered himself Australian at the time and always wanted to play for Australia"

Thats really just all talk though isnt it. He hadnt been in Australia from the age of 2 up until he was already an established NBA player. His parents and all of his family are American. While he is an Australian citizen, its hard to believe he ever considered himself to be Australian.

Thybulle never showed anything towards Aust or the Boomers til he was actually there. We didn't question his involvement. We welcomed him. Hoped he'd make a real diff.

What's different here? Poppy too tall?

Now, let's argue over who to leave out for Kyrie?

I'm not arguing that he wouldn't deserve to be there. I'm just saying any comments about considering himself to be Australian despite having no real attachment is just all BS.

If he had declared for Australia and played for us all along I would have been happy to have him play for us. But he didnt need to make up some BS about feeling Australian.

While posting on the Boomers' HC thread, this question came to mind.

Cotton's naturalisation attempt was not treated with the urgency necessary, if he was to be available for selection to the Boomers. BA could not guarantee that Bryce would be the one, allowable, naturalised player because of the availability of Mattice Thybulle.

My question is; Wasn't Mattice born in Aust (Melb) and consequently Australian-by-birth? Meaning, he did not need naturalisation. He will always have been Australian-born. I can't see why we could not have had Bryce and Mattice.

Kirie Irving is another example. Seems that he can play for Aust. (Yes, there are other reasons why Kyrie may not qualify). Could that turn out to be 1 of the 3, or if all of a sudden, Bryce, Mattice and Kyrie all became Boomers (in place of say Delly, Patty and Sobes, from the current Roster)?

he's just done his ACL

"Cotton's naturalisation attempt was not treated with the urgency necessary, if he was to be available for selection to the Boomers. BA could not guarantee that Bryce would be the one, allowable, naturalised player because of the availability of Mattice Thybulle."

Cotton got bad advice and tried to get qualified quicker using the DST visa which has a really high threshold that he was unable to meet. One of those requirements, yes, is that he's an obvious no brainer pick. With Thybulle that was never clear cut.

"My question is; Wasn't Mattice born in Aust (Melb) and consequently Australian-by-birth? Meaning, he did not need naturalisation. He will always have been Australian-born. I can't see why we could not have had Bryce and Mattice."

No Thybulle was not born in Australia. He lived in Australia for some period after which he qualified for citizenship. Typically if a player receives citizenship when they're still a child they don't end up a restricted player (ie the one naturalised player per team rule) so I'm not sure on the exact situation for Matty as its clear FIBA consider him to be a restricted player. As such with him and Bryce it would always be one or the other.

"Kyrie Irving is another example. Seems that he can play for Aust. (Yes, there are other reasons why Kyrie may not qualify). Could that turn out to be 1 of the 3, or if all of a sudden, Bryce, Mattice and Kyrie all became Boomers (in place of say Delly, Patty and Sobes, from the current Roster)?"

Kyrie was born here and received Citizenship as a natural born citizen. He has since chosen to represent the US which means he can't play for Australia except if given special exception from FIBA which almost certainly (and rightly) would not be given.

If all went as planned (Bryce became Aussie, Kyrie never represented the US) we could have 2, never all 3.

Thanks, Cram.