After nearly a year of intense speculation and discussions, the final puzzle piece has fallen into place. On July 24^th, the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) announced that Kyle Anderson (now known as "Li Kaier" in China)  has acquired Chinese citizenship and had a meeting with CBA Chairman Yao Ming. This signifies that Kyle Anderson is now eligible to represent the China Men's Basketball Team, becoming the first naturalized player in the team's history.

Following the completion of his naturalization procedure, Anderson will head straight to Europe to join the Chinese Men's Basketball Team currently in training camp, preparing for the upcoming FIBA Basketball World Cup, which is set to begin in late August.

Kyle Anderson's great-grandfather, Li Chongxin, was an authentic Chinese man. In the 1920s, Li Chongxin and his brother went to Jamaica to seek new opportunities, and Kyle Anderson's grandmother was one of their children. Though she later immigrated to the United States, she never forgot her Chinese descent. In fact, during Kyle Anderson's naturalization process, his mother, Suzanne, played a crucial role, as she always hoped her son could represent the China Men's Basketball Team in competitions.

In 2012, Kyle Anderson accompanied his college team on a friendly match tour to Shanghai, and his mother joined him on the trip to China. It was during this visit that her determination to trace their roots was solidified. After years of effort, she managed to find her cousin, whose grandfather was Li Chongxin's brother. With his assistance, Susanna finally succeeded in her quest to reconnect with their Chinese relatives.

In 2018, Anderson and his mother visited Xinmu New Village in Pinghu Street, Longgang District, Shenzhen, where they met their relatives from the Li clan. Together with his newfound family, Anderson participated in ancestral rituals, experienced local customs, and warmly interacted with the villagers. The locals not only welcomed Anderson and his mother wholeheartedly but also inscribed their names in the family tree, granting Kyle Anderson a new name in China: Li Kaier.

Anderson expressed, "My mother spent countless time and effort searching for our distant relatives in China. We were once worried about whether our hometown relatives would accept us, but all we received was warmth and hospitality. That journey of reconnecting with our roots was profound; it made me realize where I truly belong and how deep my ties to China are, and it touched me deeply." Perhaps this experience played a significant role in Kyle Anderson's proactive approach during the process of joining the China Men's Basketball Team, as reports suggest he made almost no financial demands during the naturalization process.

China Men's Basketball Team is in need of Kyle Anderson, and if all goes as planned, he will become a key asset in their FIBA World Cup campaign. Presently, Anderson is expected to make his debut on August 20th in the"International Solidarity Cup" match between China Men's Basketball Team and Serbia Men's Basketball Team.

It's worth mentioning that this match will take place in Shenzhen, and in a way, it can be considered Kyle Anderson's hometown.

李凯尔来了！中国男篮迎来首名入籍球员，他曾前往深圳寻亲

在外界沸沸扬扬讨论了近一年之久后，另外一只靴子终于落地。7月24日，中国篮协官方宣布，李凯尔（凯尔·安德森）已经取得中国国籍，并已和中国篮协主席姚明会面。这意味着李凯尔已经获得代表中国男篮出战的资格，他成为中国男篮历史上首位入籍球员。据了解，李凯尔在完成入籍手续后，将直接出发前往欧洲和正在进行拉练的中国男篮会合，备战即将于8月底打响的篮球世界杯。

李凯尔的外曾祖父李崇新是一名地道的中国人。20世纪20年代，李崇新和弟弟一同前往牙买加发展，李凯尔的外祖母米里亚姆便是李崇新的孩子之一。尽管米里亚姆后来移民美国，但她的女儿苏珊娜，也就是李凯尔的妈妈，一直没有忘记身上的中国血统。事实上，在李凯尔的入籍过程中，苏珊娜起到了很重要的作用，她一直希望自己的儿子能代表中国男篮参加比赛。

2012年，李凯尔跟随大学校队到上海参加友谊赛，母亲苏珊娜陪同来到中国，正是那次中国行坚定了苏珊娜的寻亲意志。经过几年的努力，苏珊娜找到了表哥唐纳德，后者的祖父正是李崇新的弟弟。在唐纳德的帮助下，苏珊娜终于寻亲成功。

2018年，李凯尔和母亲苏珊娜一同到访深圳市龙岗区平湖街道新木新村，见到了李氏宗族的亲人们。李凯尔与亲友们一同祭祖，体验了当地的风俗，和村民们亲切互动。当地的村民不仅亲切地接待了李凯尔和他的妈妈，还将他们的名字写入了族谱，从此凯尔·安德森在中国有了一个新的名字：李凯尔。

李凯尔表示：“我母亲花了无数时间和精力去寻找远在中国的家人，我们一度担心家乡的亲人是否会接纳我们，但最终得到的只有热情和温暖。那次寻亲之旅意义非凡，让我知道了我的根在哪里并且有多深，了解到自己的根扎在中国，让我受到了很大的触动。”也许正因为这样，李凯尔在加入中国男篮的过程中也表现得很主动。据报道，李凯尔在入籍过程中几乎没有任何经济方面的要求。

中国男篮需要李凯尔，如无意外，他将成为中国男篮征战世界杯的中坚力量。从目前的情况看，李凯尔最早将于8月20日，在中国男篮与塞尔维亚男篮的“国际团结杯”比赛中首次亮相。

值得一提的是，这场比赛将于深圳举行，从某种角度来说，这里也算是李凯尔的故乡。

文｜羊城晚报全媒体记者 郝浩宇
翻译｜刘佳慧
责编 | 王楠
校对 | 桂晴