Chris Kaman: "I want to be German"

March 13, 2008

I promised you updates with this story so here is the latest: “I want to be German”, at least this is what the German news site RP-online tells us. Kaman said that he would want to play for the German national team.

He talked to the German Basketball Federation and they really try to make it happen.If you happen to speak German you probably won’t find the sentence “I want to be German” but this is what it really means to me. As cool as it would be to see Chris Kaman play for Germany it is still a national team. Isn’t everybody always talking about “representing their country” and “I am proud to play for my country”? Isn’t that the reason why “the chosen ones” go through this after a long NBA season?

So if Chris Kaman tells me he would like to play for Germany he is telling us that he is proud to represent Germany, doesn’t he?Again, don’t get me wrong, it would be great to see Chris Kaman next to Dirk Nowitzki this year at the Olympics, but the real reason why we have national teams would be lost – at least I think that way.

At least Chris‘ and Dirks‘ hair is kinda’ the same already.

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This post was published on March 13, 2008
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Comments: 11
  1. Arvids
    16 years ago

    Well, here is the thing why I would not really be concerned if I am German: national team has guys like Okulaja, Greene, Demirel, etc. I guess there are less Germans in the team than other nationalities anyway. Kaman might not help this cause, but at least if you are putting a naturalized player on the field then at least you are putting a quality player and not some mediocre European talent. Another thing is – adding Kaman should definitely help Dirk – he has been so loyal to the country that adding Kaman would get some load of him carrying the team and actually might ease him through the summer, and no matter how weird that might sound, prolong Dirks career and also still keep his motivation to go through all the summer trouble with handling his own contract insurance and other issues as well. That might be one of smartest decision for German basketball.

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  2. Limitless
    16 years ago

    Well, the difference is that Okulaja and Greene were, even though not born here in Germany (Okulaja was born in Lagos, Nigeria, while Greene was born in Fort Hood, TX, USA) raised in Germany, Demirel was born and raised in Berlin, Stefano “Nino” Garris was born in Paderborn, Robert Maras was not born in Croatia but in Freiburg, and Robert Garrett was born and raised in a “city” that is as German as Wurst and discipline: Ochsenfurt. The difference is, that they all held German passports since god knows when – and they consider themselves Germans. To me, this is evidence that Germany is or at least used to be an immigration country. They are just as German as Sven Schultze, Steffen Hamann or Johannes Herber. So, the nationality of everyone on the team is German, with the only “mostly ungerman” player being Julian Sensley, who was born and raised in the US and who holds a German passport mainly because he’s a basketball player.

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  3. pete
    16 years ago

    Yeah, it’s kinda shady, but I’l take him. Other countries have profited from their immigration policy, like France for example, so one extra good dude for Germany is okay with me. I think there’s more reason behind it in this case than with J.R. Holden on the Russian team.

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  4. pete
    16 years ago

    Also, the US grabbed themselves Tim Duncan (and Hakeem Olajuwon once upon a time)…

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  5. todd
    16 years ago

    The US is also a country of immigrants and, at least in the north east ,if you ask someone their nationality they say Italian, German, Irish etc. Most people identify themselves with the country of their grandparents and great grandparents even though they were born in the US. In fact, I’m not sure I know many people who have families that lived in the US before 1900.

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  6. Eric
    16 years ago

    Great news for Germany.
    I think Kaman is more German, than some 10-generations born US going Georgian, Macedonian.

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  7. gustavo
    16 years ago

    can someone tell me if this is a done deal and where can i get news from european basketball.
    thanks

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  8. jon
    16 years ago

    -Pete
    US grabbed Tim Duncan? What nationality do you think he was before playing for US? Tim Duncan was born in the U.S. Virgin Islands, a territory of the U.S. and has had U.S. citizenship since birth.

    I have no problem with Kaman playing for Germany if he intends to immigrate to Germany permanently. Nor do I have problems with any one else immigrating from or to any country if they truly desire the change. However, becoming a citizen of another country for a reason such as playing in the olympics, only to break all ties with the new country (in this case Germany) outside of the olympics disrespects both Germany and the US, as well as the members of the olympic teams. Take for example pete’s additional reference to olajuwon. Hakeem lived in the us for 16 years prior to representing the United States National Team in the olympics. I don’t think anyone questioned his right to do so. Nor would we be discussing Kaman’s if he had resided in Germany for even a few years prior to this. Perhaps a better comparison would be the long distance runner that will be performing for the US this year. I forget his name, but he has only been in America for a few years. Still, I am not aware of any athletes that represented the US in an olympics less than 2 months after setting foot in America. Although it may have very well happened.

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  9. Karl
    16 years ago

    Ich denke es ist überhaupt keine schlechte idea für die national mannschaft Kaman zu nehmen aber benötige das Kaman muss alles verstehen, wenn gibts schneller reaktionen zum plays “in moment ins spiel”, und braucht keine übersetzen. Jedenfalls Kaman wird ein Grabenschrift ins die unsere Mannschaft.

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  10. Scott
    16 years ago

    This is just dumb.
    It tarnishes the reputation of the Olympics and Germany for allowing this.
    Kaman has really no ties to Germany. He had never even been to Germany before Dirk and company came calling.

    He shows no patriotism to the U.S. and this just smells like a money grab to raise he worldwide visability and thus more sponsorship dollars.

    Just dumb.

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  11. Thomas E. Turm
    16 years ago

    Kaman a german? I don’t like it if countries offer their passports to foreign people just because they can play a ball. Well Kaman has german roots but if someone likes to be a member of a nation I think it should be a matter of course, that he should speak german or tries to learn it. I wonder if the coach is coaching the german team in english just because one of the “big players” don’t understand a single german word? or will dirk nowitzki be his interpreter? this phenomenon is new to basketball but not new to ice-hockey. the german ice-hockey-team in the past and even these days is pepperd with foreigner names like McKay (ger-can), Martin Ančička (ger-chez), Tomáš Martinec (ger-chez), Jhon Tripp (ger-can).
    I would prefer to have a national-team playing inferior, than mix it up with unreal germans. if it is just sports and has nothing to do with nations so why dont we play with teams like in the NHL but worldwide and call off these nation things, if anyone is “cheating” about the nationalities anyway. just my In my humble opinion btw I am german.

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ballineurope
16 years ago 11 Comments Features, FIBA, More, NBA/NCAA