When the Olympics arrived in the United States, Kyrie Irving wanted to represent the country where he was born.
The Dallas Mavericks defender told reporters on the NBA's All-Star weekend that he wanted to play for Australia at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
Irving was asked about Sunday when it appeared to be an Australian journalist who played for Australia.
"We're in the process right now," Owen told reporters. "Just trying to figure out what the best way I'm eligible will be. There's a lot of paperwork in between."
Irving, 32, was born in Melbourne and raised in the United States. He played twice for Team USA, won the gold medal in Rio at the 2016 Olympics and won the gold medal in the 2014 World Cup. . He did not play for Team USA at the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo or the 2021 Olympics in 2024.
He would be 36 when the Olympics were scheduled to play in Los Angeles, and if he really wanted to represent the United States, then being a U.S. team would be far from a guarantee, but less competitive Australian teams would almost certainly welcome him Qualified, he joined the roster in nine NBA All-Star Games.
"Obviously, the US still has a decision," Irving said. "But for me, I just wanted to do what works best for me. Honestly, if I could be some time in my career and play for the Australian team," he said. , that would be great.”
Where is the NBA All-Star Game between the United States and the World?
If the NBA All-Star game changes its format to America and the World, he will also ask Irving what to do. After another All-Star format tweaked Sunday, the introduction of the United States and International All-Stars has attracted attention in players and media.
"I will choose the world now for the purpose of competition," said Owen.
Irving clarified that his intention was not to abandon his American teammates.
"I'm always with guys in the United States," he continued. "We have a lot of history together. I'm grateful that I can both. Growing up in the United States but was born in Australia."
While the United States vs. World All-Star Game is fun, so far, these numbers have not made the idea a reality. A hypothetical international lineup, which includes Luka Dončić, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Victor Wembanyama and Nikola Jokić, would be powerful. But this year's All-Star roster will not fill the 12-man roster.
Alperen Sieg (Türkiye) and Pascal Siakam (Cameroon) join Antetokounmpo, Jokić, Wembanyama and Gilgeous-Alexander and join Chuck's International All-Stars for this year's four-team format. But Barkley had to draft New York native Donovan Mitchell and New Jersey native Karl-Anthony Towns to put his roster to eight players.
The town's late mother, Jacqueline Cruz, is Dominican, who represented the Dominican Republic in international competitions. Mitchell's grandmother is from Panama and has celebrated his Panamanian roots throughout his career.
Such exceptions seem to be the way to make the United States and the World All-Star game a reality. If selected as All-Star, adding Australian Irving to the mix will bring the league closer to achieving that.