Qatar spends tens of millions of dollars to persuade this star to participate in the World Cup

This move underscores the Asian side’s determination to compete at the highest global level.

Qatar’s basketball scene is demonstrating significant resolve in its preparations for the FIBA World Cup 2027, as it is reportedly closing in on naturalizing EuroLeague top star Kendrick Nunn.

According to sources from Europe, the Qatar Basketball Federation has made an enticing offer to the American guard to convince him to represent the national team from now until the 2027 World Cup. If the deal goes through, Nunn would become one of the most notable naturalized players in Qatar’s basketball history.

Greek media reports indicate that Qatar has proposed a five-year contract to the Panathinaikos star. Some sources suggest the deal could be worth up to $6 million per year. However, as of now, Nunn has yet to make a final decision.

The arrival of the 29-year-old guard is seen as a strategic move by Qatar, as the Gulf nation prepares to host the 2027 FIBA World Cup. With his high-level experience and proven class in the EuroLeague, Nunn is expected to significantly elevate the strength of the host team.

Although his NBA career wasn’t impressive, since moving to Europe to play for Panathinaikos, Kendrick Nunn has risen to become one of the most prominent offensive stars. In the 2025-2026 EuroLeague season, he averaged 18.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game. Earlier, in the 2024-2025 season, Nunn won the league’s MVP award and made history by setting a record of 101 successful three-point shots in a single EuroLeague season.

In the Greek domestic league, Nunn has maintained consistent numbers, averaging 16.3 points and 3.2 assists per game during the regular season. Although his stats dipped in the playoffs due to focused defensive attention from opponents, he remains a key figure in Panathinaikos’ lineup.

Unlike football, basketball’s naturalization rules are more relaxed. FIBA (International Basketball Federation) allows national teams to have "international naturalized players" (without requiring ancestral ties or a minimum residency period), but each team can register only one such player for tournaments.

Notable examples of naturalized players in FIBA include Jordan Clarkson (although of Filipino descent, he still falls under this category because he received a Philippine passport after turning 16), Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (Jordan), Marques Bolden (Indonesia), Kyle Anderson (China), and Lorenzo Brown (Spain), among others.