Rumor debunked! Hello, Chinese men's basketball! There are currently two active NBA players

The rumor is false.

Kyle Lowry still retains Chinese nationality, meaning he is still qualified to play for the Chinese men's basketball team in FIBA tournaments in the future.

Therefore, in theory, the Chinese men's basketball team now has two active NBA players.

This guy was born on September 20, 1993, was the 30th pick in the first round of the 2014 draft, has one-eighth Chinese heritage (his great-grandfather was a Hakka from Guangdong), and has played for the Spurs, Grizzlies, Timberwolves, Warriors, Heat, and Jazz in his NBA career. This season, he averages 17.9 minutes per game with 6.7 points, 2.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.4 steals, shooting 49% from the field.

As the first naturalized player in the history of Chinese men's basketball, Kyle Lowry played five games in the 2023 World Cup, averaging 32.1 minutes, contributing 13 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1 steal per game, with shooting percentages of 41.8% and 16.7%, helping the team to a 1-4 record.

Kyle Lowry's current contract runs until the summer of 2027, with a salary of $9.22 million this season and $9.66 million next season. As mentioned, if he finds no opportunity in the NBA, he is open to bringing his talent to the CBA in the future.

By the way, if Kyle Lowry joins the CBA, would he be considered a foreign player or a domestic player?

Back to the main point, the Chinese men's basketball team may no longer intend to continue working with Kyle Lowry, focusing instead on recruiting new naturalized players who are primarily guards, similar to the role of small foreign players in the CBA. Potential targets include Guangsha's new FMVP Barry Brown (currently averaging 20.6 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1.8 steals per game this season), but executing this is very challenging, as shown in the image below:

It's not that Kyle Lowry is inadequate, but the longstanding issue of the Chinese men's basketball team lacking excellent floor generals means they prefer naturalized players who can take over as ball-dominant core players.

It is worth mentioning that,The game between the Chinese men's basketball team and Chinese Taipei on March 1 next year will be held at a neutral venue, specifically the Asia Mall Sports Arena in Manila, Philippines.

As for why? FIBA has not provided an official explanation, but those who understand know that sports nowadays are no longer pure and are mixed with many uncontrollable factors, so precautions must be taken.