The NBA star who "wanted to play for Australia"

Eight-time NBA All-Star and former number on draft pick Kyrie Irving has opened up on his international allegiance, saying he “wanted to play for Australia”.

Irving, who also won the 2016 NBA title and Olympic gold in 2016, was born in Melbourne in 1992 to expatriate parents, but moved back to the United States when he was just two years old.

“I consider myself an international player even though I played on Team USA,” Irving said on a Twitch stream.

“A lot of my peers laugh at me when I bring it up and some fans may not agree, but I was born in Australia.

“Team USA asked me to play for them when I was 17 or 18 ... I wanted to play for Australia, but it just didn’t happen.

“Coach K (Former Team USA coach Mike Krzyzewski) wasn’t going to let that happen either.”

Despite the absence of Irving, fellow former NBA Rookie of the Year Ben Simmons and injured Houston centre Jock Landale, the Boomers have a host of NBA talent to call on at the upcoming FIBA World Cup.

Of the list of 12 players selected, only Olympic bronze medal winners Nick Kay, Chris Goulding and Duop Reath are without NBA contracts heading into the new season.