South Sudan came close to pulling off a huge feat yesterday, losing by a narrow point to the United States.
Coach Royal Ivey was thus able to rely on naturalized point guard Carlik Jones, who recorded a triple-double (15 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists), the skill of Marial Shayok and the impact coming off the bench of JT Thor.
To form the team, the president of the federation, Luol Deng, thus mobilized the diaspora who fled the country during the terrible second Sudanese civil war. Enough to form a group with enough talent to be the best African nation at the last World Cup, and thus qualify for the 2024 Olympic Games.
FIBA's final response on Monday
And following the match against the United States, Tuna Maker tweeted that he “crossed fingers” to join the South Sudan team in the coming days, and thus participate in the Olympic Games.
The 10th pick in the 2016 Draft, who played for the Bucks, Pistons and Cavaliers in the NBA, now plays in Lebanon, at the Riyadi Club Beirut, where he has just won the Asian Cup of Champions Clubs. In the final, he notably compiled 26 points and 13 rebounds in the victory against Shabab Al-Ahli Club of Dubai.
The problem is that the 27-year-old centre represented Australia, where he had been granted refugee status, during several FIBA competitionsincluding the 2022 Asia Cup. To now play for South Sudan, where he was born, he needs an exemption from FIBA. The same one that Eric Gordon obtained to represent the Bahamas while the Sixers guard had previously played for the United States national team.
Will FIBA consider Thon Maker's participation in the 2024 Olympic Games with South Sudan as “in the interest of the development of basketball” in the country? Answer tomorrow…
