Player naturalisations

[mchale]

So every American proffesional basketball player except the Indian ones should have a right to play for another country,right?What about Ginobili,should he play for Italy too?What about Australians?Should most of them play for Great Britain?

That's stupid,sorry.Very few teams have abused(I don't know any) the law and used 5th or 6th generation immigrants in their NT's.You are afraid of a a phenomenon that has never been observed thus far.
The FIBA rules are fine no reason to change them.

[Victorious]

So where do we draw the line?3rd generation,4th?14th?Calathes parents werent born in Greece,neither Dorsey's or Bramo's.

If people like Koufos maintain their Greek heritage, as he did by marrying a Greek American woman, then it could go on indefinitely. It takes an effort to maintain your heritage.

[Baloo]

@ Victorious you are absolutely correct.

I am neither Lithuanian or fan of their NT but I would be upset if Sabonis Jr. will play for Spain or anyone else. Just because his dad was professional player outside of Lithuania doesn't mean his child can't play for Lithuania. If you have a heritage and that is where your heart os of course you should be aloud to play for that country.
If your National organization is shopping for American player to play for your NTeven though he has a zero connection with your country that is disgrace.

[boz74]

I am neither Lithuanian or fan of their NT but I would be upset if Sabonis Jr. will play for Spain or anyone else.

So I take it you are also "upset" that Tony Parker plays for France or Adetokoumbo for Greece? After all, they don't have the supposedly all-important "heritage" from these countries either.

[Steadysoul]

Reading this thread makes me brain hurt. I didn't know this was such a big deal.

[Srle]

Boz74 come across like someone who is butt hurt. Maybe he's Spanish and want Sabonis Jr to play for Spain so badly Sabonis Jr is Lithuanian end of discussion , find some other example , like Dorsey of Greece , he doesn't even speak Greek language

[serbianhoops]

In my opinion, it's just a matter of time before a naturalized player follows Jean-Marc Bosman's exemple and asks the European Court of Justice to rule on FIBA's one naturalized player per team rule, and then I won't be surprised if 12 naturalized players per national team will be permitted.

[usagre]

In my opinion, it's just a matter of time before a naturalized player follows Jean-Marc Bosman's exemple and asks the European Court of Justice to rule on FIBA's one naturalized player per team rule, and then I won't be surprised if 12 naturalized players per national team will be permitted.

I agree. I don't understand the thinking behind the limitation of one. You are either eligible to play for the national team or you are not. By limiting it to one player fiba is admitting that something is inherently wrong with that players eligibility.

[serbianhoops]

European Court of Justice judge will without doubt revoke the current FIBA regulation on naturalized players as a discriminatory rule if they have to make a decision about it.

[Srle]

Idiots

[Srle]

No one is talking about two naturalized Spanish big men who played at u20 championship this year . Is this even a legal thing , to have two or more naturalized players playing for the national team or did Spanish Federation just bend the rules or did Fiba just rewrite their own rules so they can suit the needs of those most rich and powerful basketball federations

[Baloo]

So I take it you are also "upset" that Tony Parker plays for France or Adetokoumbo for Greece? After all, they don't have the supposedly all-important "heritage" from these countries either.

So why are you trolling topic? Antentoukonpo is born in Athens and lived there. Has all rights to play for Greece. If he choose Nigeria that would be OK too.

[Svoura]

By the way, none of the Antetokounmpo brothers has ever set foot in Nigeria, and they don't even have passports, although both parents are Nigerian. Until 2013, they had no passports from ANY country in th world. The whole family was living in Athens as illegal immigrants. See how complicated it all is?

[Levenspiel]

By the way, none of the Antetokounmpo brothers has ever set foot in Nigeria, and they don't even have passports, although both parents are Nigerian. Until 2013, they had no passports from ANY country in th world. The whole family was living in Athens as illegal immigrants. See how complicated it all is?

And suddenly, by coincidence, the whole family becomes beloved Greek citizens .
The same thing everywhere, at different levels. Just like Turkish kids suddenly becoming real Germans once they start kicking the ball a little bit better, Algerians becoming real French etc. the same way.

[Jon_Koncak]

In my opinion, it's just a matter of time before a naturalized player follows Jean-Marc Bosman's exemple and asks the European Court of Justice to rule on FIBA's one naturalized player per team rule, and then I won't be surprised if 12 naturalized players per national team will be permitted.

1 naturalised per country is some sort of gentlement's agreement among FIBA members.That's what i've always thought,just like the restrictions on non native players in EU basketball leagues.These kind of restrictions hold no legal basis.It goes without saying that if someone goes to courts about it FIBA is screwed and they could field as many naturalised as they'd like.But noone has done it YET.