Is Kyle Anderson Chinese? Looking at Timberwolves forward's ethnicity & cultural roots

Kyle Anderson has garnered a lot of buzz recently after news broke of him potentially playing for the Chinese national team this summer. Some might not know this, but the Minnesota Timberwolves forward has ethnic connections to China.

Anderson was born in New York City. However, he spent most of his early life living in New Jersey, where he attended school. A deeper dive into his family history shows his Chinese roots.

Looking Kyle Anderson's parents' roots which helped him don the Chinese jersey at 2023 FIBA World Cup

Kyle Anderson's grandmother on his mother's side had a Chinese father. This makes him one-eighth Chinese.

For Anderson to become eligible to play for the Chinese national team, he has to be "naturalized." This is handled by CBA president and Hall of Famer Yao Ming. According to reports, he is very strict about the process.

"Yao has reportedly made it 'non-negotiable' that any players to be naturalized must have blood relations in China, and 'cultural identity,' according to Chinese media," the South China Morning Post reported.

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Before Anderson makes the trip, he has to finish out the year with the Minnesota Timberwolves. They find themselves down 3-1 in their Western Conference first-round series against Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets.

Kyle Anderson got to reunite with his family in China early in his NBA career

Kyle Anderson's journey in the NBA began in 2014, when the San Antonio Spurs selected him with the 30th pick of the draft. While he was getting his feet wet in the pros, his mother was on a mission to track down their family.

It took some time, but Anderson's mother was able to reconnect with some of the relatives they have in China. Anderson then spent the summer of 2018 traveling there to learn more about his heritage.

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Having learned more about his family roots, Anderson is now looking to represent China on the national stage. The Chinese team is also very excited to add the NBA veteran to their roster.

“With his skills and playmaking ability, he will be a truly great addition to the team on both ends,” Chinese basketball commentator Chen Zhenghao told the South China Morning Post. “I’m happy to see this happening. Kyle is definitely the kind of talent we need, so given his Chinese ancestry, I think he is a very, very good option in terms of naturalization.”

Anderson played in 69 games for the Timberwolves this year, averaging 9.4 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists while shooting 41.0% from beyond the arc.