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Do Any of South Sudan Players Have NBA Experience? All You Need To Know Ahead of Match Against Team USA
South Sudan's rise in the game of basketball hasn't gone unnoticed. Let's read if the youngest nation on earth has players playing in the NBA or not.
Just making it to the Olympics was enough to make South Sudan an interesting tale. They are currently the youngest nation in the world, having gained independence only in 2011. Decades of bloody civil war, both before and after their founding, have shaped their recent history.
However, their impressive showing at the 2023 FIBA World Cup earned them a spot in the Olympics for the first time. They have only improved as they faced teams with superior talent, resources, and history.
Which players from South Sudan have NBA experience?
After playing his rookie season with the Charlotte Hornets, who selected him with the 37th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, JT Thor is currently a free agent. Throughout three seasons, he played in 165 games for the Hornets, averaging 3.2 points and 2.1 rebounds in just over 12 minutes per game.
With 150 games played for the Kings, Trail Blazers, Pelicans, Nets, Clippers, Lakers, and Grizzlies, Wenyen Gabriel has the second-most NBA experience of any player on the team. In 2022–23, he played in 68 games for the Lakers and had his best season, averaging 5.5 points and 4.2 rebounds while shooting 59.6% from the field.
Marial Shayok played four games for the 76ers after being selected with the No. 54 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft.
After four years of college at Radford and Louisville, Carlik Jones was not selected in the draft. However, throughout two seasons, he played in 12 NBA games for the Bulls, Mavericks, and Nuggets.
South Sudan is surprising everyone with their form on the court
Former NBA player Luol Deng is the president of the South Sudan Basketball Federation. He also held the position of head coach until 2021, when he was succeeded by former NBA player Royal Ivey. Since Ivey took over, the team has a 19-6 record in qualification and a 6-4 record in the FIBA tournament. They created waves in a pre-Olympic friendly earlier this month, pushing Team USA to the breaking point in a 101-100 loss, and then made history in their Olympic debut.
The Olympic organizers misplayed the national anthem, but South Sudan overcame the setback and defeated Puerto Rico 90-79. They triumphed over a team that included current NBA player Jose Alvarado, thanks to the 34 points scored in total by veteran guards Carlik Jones and Marial Shayok.
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