Kyrie Irving, who won gold with Team USA in past, wants to play for Australia in LA Olympics

A erstwhile Team USA hoops defender is hoping to play for a antithetic state successful the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. 

Kyrie Irving, the Dallas Mavericks superstar who won a golden medal with Team USA successful the 2016 Rio Olympics, arsenic good arsenic the 2014 World Cup, was asked if helium would play for Australia successful the adjacent Summer Games.

Irving was calved successful Melbourne, Australia, portion his begetter was playing nonrecreational shot down under. 

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

"We’re successful the process of that close now," Irving, 32, told reporters during NBA All-Star weekend. "Just trying to fig retired what’s going to beryllium the champion way for maine to beryllium eligible. There’s a batch of paperwork successful betwixt that."

Irving isn’t trying to flimsy Team USA, particularly considering helium didn’t play with them successful the 2021 Toyko Olympics oregon this past year’s Paris Olympics. 

He volition beryllium 36 years aged erstwhile the 2028 Games extremity off, and it’s not a warrant that helium volition marque Team USA’s always-potent roster. Meanwhile, Team Australia wouldn’t apt person little competition, and having a nine-time All-Star connected its roster would beryllium a large addition. 

COLLEGE STUDENT WINS $100K AFTER BEATING NBA ALL-STAR IN 3-POINT CONTEST

Irving volition hold to perceive from Team USA to spot if helium mightiness person a spot, but volition "do what’s champion for me."

"Obviously, Team USA inactive has a determination to make," helium explained. "… Honestly, if I tin beryllium an Aussie astatine 1 constituent successful my vocation and play for the Australian team, that would beryllium great."

While that’s thing to look guardant to down the road, the taxable shifted to what the NHL is doing for their ain All-Star break, arsenic the 4 Nations Face-Off has been wildly fashionable since it kicked off. 

Instead of the accustomed All-Star festivities, players crossed the NHL are playing successful a round-robin tourney with Team USA, Team Canada, Team Finland and Team Sweden going head-to-head to spot who volition gain bragging rights. It volition beryllium Team USA and Team Canada successful the title crippled connected Thursday nighttime earlier the 2nd fractional of the NHL play begins. 

If the NBA were to displacement to that – speech astir the United States against a satellite squad created buzz implicit the play – Irving implied that, from a contention perspective,"I would prime the satellite close now."

"I’m ever going to beryllium with my USA guys," Irving said. "We person truthful overmuch past together. I’m conscionable grateful that I tin beryllium both. Raised successful the U.S. but calved successful Australia."

Irving, who helped the Cleveland Cavaliers triumph the 2016 NBA Finals, is simply a three-time All-NBA defender and the 2011-12 Rookie of the Year. He is successful the mediate of his 14th NBA play aft being the archetypal wide prime by the Cavs successful 2011. 

Irving, known for his stellar ball-handling skills and quality to people anyplace connected the floor, has averaged 23.7 points, 5.6 assists and 4.1 rebounds per crippled implicit his career. Irving made the ninth All-Star squad of his vocation this play arsenic helium averages 24.6 points and 4.8 assists per game. 

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports sum connected X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.