The NBA has asked the U.S. State Department about the impact of the President Trump immigration ban on its players. Two NBA players are coming from the countries which are banned from entering the United States temporarily. However, they have British and Australian passport.
The league asked the U.S. State Department because two of its players have Sudanese roots, according to Washington Post.They are forward Thon Maker of Milwaukee Bucks and veteran player Luol Deng who plays for Los Angeles Lakers.
NBA spokesperson Mike Bass said in a statement on Saturday, Jan. 28 regarding the inquiry. He said that NBA asked the State Department in order to understand the situation for the players who may be impacted by the executive order.
"We have reached out to the State Department," he said. Furthermore Bass mentioned that as a global league NBA has attracted best players from around the world. Therefore, the league needs to clarify the impact of the executive order to its players.
However, both Maker and Deng has left the countries for a long time and now they are Australian and British nationals, respectively. According to Bleacher Report, Maker and Deng have no issues with the immigration. After the Bucks played in Toronto on Friday, Jan. 27, Maker was able to return without a problem because he has an Australian passport.
Both players fled from their country, Sudan, to escape a radical Islamic government causing the country to be torn apart into North and South Sudan. Deng fled the country with his family during the civil war while Maker and his family left the country when he was five years old in 2002 to Australia.
Deng and Maker are members of the national basketball team for their respective countries. They are the evidence of NBA status as a global league.
Watch the report from NBA, regarding the NBA Global Games in Mexico City and London earlier this month below:
