NBA spokesman Tim Frank released a statement on Sunday, saying that Jordan Clarkson from the Cleveland Cavaliers will not be allowed to play for the Philippines in the coming 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia.

“The NBA's agreement with FIBA stipulates that NBA players can participate in the Olympics, the FIBA Basketball World Cup, Continental Cup competitions, and associated qualifying tournaments. Because the Asian Games are not one of those competitions, NBA players are unable to participate. In accordance with the NBA's agreement with FIBA, Jordan is welcome to represent the Philippines in the agreed-upon competitions,” said Frank.

26-year-old Clarkson was selected with the 46th pick by the Washington Wizards in the 2014 NBA Draft and was trade to the Los Angeles Lakers. At 1.96 meters tall, Clarkson can play as both a point guard and a shooting guard. The Lakers gave the offensive player a four-year contract of 50 million US Dollars in summer 2016. In February, Clarkson was traded to the Cavaliers and played in his first NBA Finals.

With a mother from the Philippines, Clarkson has dual citizenship with the Philippines and the United States. Both the Philippines and himself wanted having him to play for the country and have been working to make it happen. Head coach Yeng Guiao even put him in the 12-man roster of the country’s national team for the Asian Games.

Though both the Indonesian Asian Games Organizing Committee and the Olympic Council of Asia considered Clarkson eligible for participation, the NBA stopped it from happening with an official statement. The Philippines had to put Don Trollano onto the list in his place. The team will leave for Indonesia on Sunday and will meet their first Group D rival, Kazakhstan, on August 16.

Though the NBA made it clear that Clarkson could play in the FIBA World Cup qualifying tournament for the Philippines, furious fans and reporters left comments about the news, criticizing the league’s decision and questioning why Chinese player Zhou Qi from the Houston Rockets could play for China in the Asian Games.

So far there has been no response from the NBA about either Zhou Qi or the other Chinese player, Ding Yanyuhang, who just signed a contract with the Dallas Mavericks and are playing in the 2018 Asian Games. Both are members of China’s Team Red, which is also in Group D alongside the Phillipines.