The Egyptian Basketball Federation has completed the procedures for Abdel Nader to represent the Egyptian national team.
Abdel Nader, currently playing for the Melbourne Phoenix in Australia’s National Basketball League, now has the right to officially represent the Pharaohs.
Nader previously played for the Phoenix Suns in the NBA, helping them to the NBA Finals in 2021 for the first time since 1993. He also had stints at Boston Celtics and Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Basketball Federation announced on its Facebook account: “We have processed all documents for Abdelrahman Nader, and the player has officially joined the Egyptian national team.”
Nader previously stated in an interview with Sada El-Balad channel: “I have never forgotten Egypt, but there were previous circumstances that prevented me from playing for them, once due to an injury and another time due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I have now completed my Egyptian paperwork, and God willing, I will play with the national team next summer.
“I understand the Arabic language, and I believe that will greatly help me in dealing with my teammates and the coaching staff. I assure you that I will play for Egypt starting next summer.”
Regarding football, when asked, he replied: “I always support Mohamed Salah. I watch football and the Spanish league, but currently, I follow Liverpool for Salah.
“I have followed the criticisms directed at Salah recently due to the national team, but as a professional athlete, you know the level of pressure and you cannot control it.”
When asked about the possibility of joining Al Ahly, he answered: “I am frequently asked about that. Maybe I will do it at the end of my career, but it will not happen at the moment. I would love to return to Egypt someday, but not at the current time.
“I am still young, and after recovering from my injury, I returned to Europe, and I hope to continue in that position for as long as possible.”