Kyle Anderson is called “Slow Mo.” But he received his Chinese citizenship quick sufficient for the FIBA World Cup.
The Timberwolves forward’s grandmother is the daughter of a Jamaican girl and a Chinese man, making him eligible for China’s nationwide basketball workforce. Per FIBA guidelines, every workforce can have one naturalized citizen comparable to Anderson, and he is anticipated to hitch China’s workforce earlier than its first FIBA World Cup recreation.
Anderson knew he was 1/8 Chinese for years, however after some diligent analysis by his mom Suzanne, they situated his relations. She and Anderson visited China in 2018 the place they met roughly 30 of his family members and he obtained a Chinese title: Li Kaier.
Anderson additionally obtained a brand new nickname there. While “Slow Mo” is translated to Chinese as “the essence of human wriggling,” Chinese basketball followers have dubbed him “Li Dachui.” That means “a big hammer” that strikes slowly, however is efficient with each strike.
The Chinese workforce hope he is efficient when the Cup begins within the Philippines, the place he’ll face FIBA’s No. 6 workforce, Serbia, together with Puerto Rico and South Sudan. No. 27 China has some further motivation, because the top-finishing Asian workforce on the World Cup will instantly qualify for the 2024 Olympics.
They already had an excellent shot at getting out of their group. China’s chances are high even higher now that they’ve a Big Hammer.
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