A former Team USA basketball guard is hoping to play for a different country in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Kyrie Irving, the Dallas Mavericks superstar who won a gold medal with Team USA in the 2016 Rio Olympics, as well as the 2014 World Cup, was asked if he would play for Australia in the next Summer Games.
Irving was born in Melbourne, Australia, while his father was playing professional ball down under.
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“We’re in the process of that right now,” Irving, 32, told reporters during NBA All-Star weekend. “Just trying to figure out what’s going to be the best route for me to be eligible. There’s a lot of paperwork in between that.”
Irving isn’t trying to slight Team USA, especially considering he didn’t play with them in the 2021 Toyko Olympics or this past year’s Paris Olympics.
He will be 36 years old when the 2028 Games tip off, and it’s not a guarantee that he will make Team USA’s always-potent roster. Meanwhile, Team Australia wouldn’t likely have less competition, and having a nine-time All-Star on its roster would be a great addition.
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Irving will wait to hear from Team USA to see if he might have a spot, but will “do what’s best for me.”
“Obviously, Team USA still has a decision to make,” he explained. “… Honestly, if I can be an Aussie at one point in my career and play for the Australian team, that would be great.”
While that’s something to look forward to down the road, the topic shifted to what the NHL is doing for their own All-Star break, as the 4 Nations Face-Off has been wildly popular since it kicked off.
Instead of the usual All-Star festivities, players across the NHL are playing in a round-robin tournament with Team USA, Team Canada, Team Finland and Team Sweden going head-to-head to see who will earn bragging rights. It will be Team USA and Team Canada in the championship game on Thursday night before the second half of the NHL season begins.
If the NBA were to shift to that – talk about the United States against a world team created buzz over the weekend – Irving implied that, from a competition perspective,”I would pick the world right now.”
“I’m always going to be with my USA guys,” Irving said. “We have so much history together. I’m just grateful that I can be both. Raised in the U.S. but born in Australia.”
Irving, who helped the Cleveland Cavaliers win the 2016 NBA Finals, is a three-time All-NBA guard and the 2011-12 Rookie of the Year. He is in the middle of his 14th NBA season after being the first overall pick by the Cavs in 2011.
Irving, known for his stellar ball-handling skills and ability to score anywhere on the floor, has averaged 23.7 points, 5.6 assists and 4.1 rebounds per game over his career. Irving made the ninth All-Star team of his career this season as he averages 24.6 points and 4.8 assists per game.
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