South Sudan indeed grabbed everyone’s attention. Even though the game’s result didn’t go in their favor, the East African team left the US stunned with their effort. If not for LeBron James‘ clutch layup at the end, they wouldn’t have left the court with a 1-point win. Nevertheless, following the thriller, Sudanese power forward Wenyen Gabriel moved the hoops nation with thunderous words, leaving Jarred Vanderbilt floored. Moreover, King James also embraced his charismatic little brother’s touching words.

Speaking of the importance of the platform and representing his nation, Gabriel dropped some heartfelt words. He said, “The type of heart that we show, the dedication, trying to put respect on our name, to get our country respect. We don’t have indoor basketball courts in our country… We’re a bunch of refugees who came together for a few weeks out of the year, hoping that we try our best, playing against some of the best players ever. This is much bigger than basketball for us.”

Moved by Gabriel’s words, his former LA Lakers’ teammate Jarred Vanderbilt re-shared the video on X and wrote, “My brother. Couldn’t have said it any better. Respect.” 

On the other hand, LeBron James picked up the mic after his game-winner and spoke about his former teammate too. At the presser, he said, “Wenyen is like a little brother of mine. We had a lot of great time in LA. Fun guy. Charismatic guy. Loves the game. He is an inspiration for a lot of people from where he’s from.” The 39-year-old’s praise for the ex-Laker didn’t end there. Being from an underprivileged neighborhood himself, the Akron native highlighted that Gabriel was an inspiration, for many.

LeBron James further added, “I understand that we are as well, but it’s always going to have someone from your hometown or the home country to be able to make it to the NBA or play professional basketball no matter if it’s the NBA or if it’s overseas. You use that as an inspiration when you got someone from your own backyard able to take it further.”

“I think Wenyen is an inspiration to all his brothers and sisters all around, where he’s from. I hope I’m an inspiration to him,” LeBron concluded. Notably, Wenyen Gabriel was part of the 2022-23 Lakers roster, which went deep in the postseason. He played 68 games in that season, averaging 5.5 points and 4.2 rebounds in his 15-minute game time. He came into the side on a one-year contract and didn’t really get an opportunity after that, apart from a 10-day contract from the Memphis Grizzlies.

Will certain Sudanese players get their NBA call-ups after the thriller?

South Sudan literally faced the best players of the NBA and almost won the game. And, a lot of the players on their roster haven’t played in the biggest league. Notably, Carlik Jones, the point guard, who impressed the hoops nation with a 15-11-11 triple-double, hasn’t made much impact in the NBA. Apart from two 10-day contracts from the Denver Nuggets and Dallas Mavericks, Jones had a small stint with the Chicago Bulls.

Similarly, few other players from the Sudanese team have had an on-and-off run in the NBA. Nevertheless, they could get steady offers after their dominant run against Team USA. Especially from the LA Lakers, who had a quiet run in the free agency, can rope in some of the interesting talents to stack the roster. Especially after LeBron James’ showering praise.

Moreover, Steve Kerr, speaking after the game, said, “I did not do a great job preparing our team. We did not focus enough on what they’re capable of, and that’s on me. I think that really allowed South Sudan to gain confidence early. They were great. They played a wonderful game, and the ending was good for us, just to feel that, to feel what it’s going to be like in Paris and Lille.” 

Will Team USA keep its winning streak alive? Let us know in the comments below.