Kyle Anderson, who officially became a Chinese citizen on Monday, announced on Tuesday that he will play for the Chinese national team in the coming FIBA Basketball World Cup.

"Hello, fans in China, this is Li Kaier (Chinese name)," Anderson said in a video he posted on Sina Weibo. "I am so happy to announce that I will be representing China in the World Cup. Really proud and an honor to wear the Team China jersey."

In 2018, Anderson visited Shenzhen in south China's Guangdong Province with his mother to seek his roots. They were added to his family's genealogical tree, which he described as one of the best moments in his life.

"I don't know the words to how I feel right now," Anderson said in a video of that moment. "I'm so thankful and honored. Okay, I feel honored, you know, I'm just truly honored that these people would accept me."

Becoming the first naturalized player in Chinese basketball history means a lot to Anderson, whose great-grandfather on his mother's side is Chinese.

Speaking of his ancestor, who migrated, Anderson said he imagines "he's looking down, smiling."

"And you know, I'm just hoping I am making him proud," he told Chinese basketball commentator Yang Yi on Migu Sports.

Anderson said he had always had the idea of playing for China and began working on it after the 2022-2023 season was over. According to him, it took him about a week to decide.

"We always thought it would be a cool idea if we could ... Early on this year, it became a real possibility that this could happen," Anderson said. "I wanted to make sure that I have given the Timberwolves all of my attention at the time. But as soon as the season was over, I got together with my parents, my wife. We discussed it. I thought it would be something that would be interesting."

"That's what I love to do; I love to play basketball. But it means a little bit more to me. I'm just excited for the opportunity," he added.

Anderson is not a star player in the NBA, but he is a first-class teammate for the right team. He may not score 30-plus points in one game, but he does a little bit of everything, ranging from defense and rebounding to orchestrating and launching screen play off the dribble.

"I don't want to be something that I'm not or try to come in and think it's my show or anything like that," Anderson told Yang when asked about his role in the Chinese national team. 

"Basketball is a team game, like I said before," he said. "I think my role and my job is, obviously, to come in and bring the experience and the skill that I have."

Anderson said he doesn't join the team as a leader but as someone who can bond with teammates both on and off the court.

Anderson will go to Europe in either late July or early August to join the Chinese national team. He will make good use of the time before that to study the game film he received to get a better understanding of his teammates.