The Bahamas won the Pre-Olympic pre-qualification tournament in Argentina thanks to the leadership of three NBA players. Now the country could welcome more names to its roster.
While Buddy Hield has long played for his country, DeAndre Ayton and Eric Gordon joined the Indiana Pacers’ shooter to defeat Argentina in the tournament final.
Gordon, who previously played for Team USA in the 2010 FIBA World Cup, was granted an exception by FIBA after US Basketball gave the player permission to switch teams.
Three other players could be eligible to join the Bahamas, according to NBA insider Marc Stein. Evan Mobley, Isaiah Mobley and Naz Reid all have family ties to the country and could represent the nation in one of four Olympic qualifying tournaments next year.
It is unclear at this time whether all three players hold Bahamian passports. If so, the Bahamas could field a starting quintet composed entirely of NBA players. If not, all three players will compete for a spot reserved for a naturalized player, since all persons who acquired a country’s passport after the age of 16 are considered such in FIBA competitions.
Another player could join the race for the naturalized player spot: Klay Thompson. His father, Mychal Thompson, was a prominent NBA player in the 1980s and was born in the Bahamas, as we tell you HERE.
