One of the world's most exciting basketball prospects, 216cm tall Thon Maker, says he wants to play for Australia.
The 18-year-old, who will likely compete with another Australian teenager, Ben Simmons, to be the number one pick in next year's NBA Draft is completing his final year of high school in Canada.
Maker was born in Sudan, raised in Australia and in 2012 moved to the US to further his basketball career.
A question mark has hung over what nation he will choose to play with at the Olympics and World Cups.
"As of right now I'm doing everything I can to play for Australia," Maker told sports website tipofthetower.com.
Last week executive vice president of Basketball Canada, Rowan Barnett, admitted his organisation was "taking a very hard, long look" at Maker and his younger 208cm brother Matur Maker as potential members of future Canadian teams.
The brothers were attending the elite Carlisle School in Virginia, but made a surprise move in September when they joined Canada's Athlete Institute for Thon's final year of high school.
"I still love Australia," Maker said.
The centre, with his height, ball-handling skills and long-range shooting accuracy, has been compared to NBA All-Star Kevin Durant and is expected to announce this month what US college he will play for.
The future of Australian basketball is bright, with Maker and Simmons set to join Andrew Bogut, Patty Mills, Aron Baynes, Matthew Dellavedova, Joe Ingles, Dante Exum and Cameron Bairstow in the NBA.
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