Those were actually the WBCs rules, the countries involved just took advantage of them.

i agree with all that you said but with gordon, i think taht he should play for england because first of all there is no way that he will be on the U.S team because they have people like wade and kobe.

In england he will be one of the best players so pressure will be on him (and will be more prepared for the playoffs next year) and he will play for from where he was born and brought up at.

Here's my thing, you play for the country you have ethnic and nationality ties with.

I'll use myself for example, my entire family is Serbian, I am Serbian but I was born here in the US. Would I ever play for the US? fish no. Would I ever join the US Army? fish no.

So you are born and raised in the US but would not support your country??

Actually, you don't have to answer. I don't want to make it into a patriotism argument.

Anyways, my way of thinking is that you either choose your country of birth or country of residence for 10+ years. I don't like hearing about athletes being made citizens months before events, much less the silly wbc rules...

LOL. does GB even have basketball teams?

Yes, I was born and raised in the US, but does that make me American?

If my entire family was Mexican and I was born in Japan when they went on vacation, should I support Japan? This whole citizenship thing is BS. I'm not American, I was born in America and I am an American citizen, but I am not American and America is not my country. Not 1 drop of Non-Serbian blood in me.

If you were born and raised in Eastern Europe, then I'd be able to see where you're coming from.

However, America is all that you've ever known, correct?

Yes, that would make you an American, and a full-blown American at that. You wouldn't qualify as the typical United States mutt like Sleepy, but anyway you slice it, you are a product of American culture.

I'm 75% German, but I don't know Germany from a hole in the wall. I have no loyalty to that country whatsoever. Going there to visit relatives or whatever will not change that.

Im Mexican, my parents were born over there.... And so was I. However, i did come to the US when i was about a year old, and ive been living here ever since. Heck, some people dont even think i speak spanish

I feel both as a Mexican, and American... What do i like more? probably the US... but my point is that everyone is different, and they have different believes. Everyone has their views, and thats why this whole thing about where should players play is complicated as well.

Like Bullies4Life said, everyone has a differenct perception on what they are. I do not consider myself American one bit, and to answer you're question, America is NOT all I have ever known. I have gone to Serbia a few times, speak the language fluently, hang out with other Serbians, go to a Serbian Orthodox Church, and follow a strong Serbian/Orthodox tradition.

You see your one of the people id find it ridiculous if Serbia was in it that you would play for them. You were born here and have lived here your entire life. Yes your whole family is foreign but your not. Now if you were born here but lived a good chunk of your life in Serbia or was living there currently than Id say it wouldnt make a difference between the 2.


For example my dad is from Pakistan but I have lived and was born here my whole life and if I had to choose I would of course pick an american team. And btw you are american.. doesnt matter if you hate it or not but you were born here and lived here your entire life....

Uuum, no, I am an American citizen.

If Gordon or Deng play for the GB team, I think that means when they are older and better, they can't play for the US team later down the raod. Tell me if Im wrong but that is what I believe. So I would not want to see either on the GB team, just for the fact they then couldn't play on the US team.

Anyone?

I'm not sure about International Basketball, but I know that in football, a player can change countries if his citizenship changes, or, in some cases, then can change countries depending on ancestry. For example, Zlatan Ibrahimovic could have chosen to play for Bosnia or Sweden, but chose to play in Sweden. He has Bosnian blood but moved to Sweden and was raised there.

http://www.fiba.com/asp_includes/download.asp?file_id=328

look at page 13, it really doesnt say anything about playing for two different teams, its just up to each countries own rules.

Just curious... but what are you going to do when you turn 18? Sign up for selective service, leave the country, or break the law?

I guess it probably isn't that big of a deal... because I don't see them reinstating the draft any time soon... but it is an interesting question.