At some point in life, we have thought about our identity. And, a sudden burning impulse to find the answers to the questions like, Where am I from? Where are my roots? It certainly struck NBA star, Kyle Anderson’s mother once, and she set out on a quest to find her background. Guess what? She ended up finding a whole community of relatives in South Asia!

Let’s take this story phase by phase. Kyle was born in New York City to Kyle Anderson Sr. and Suzanne Anderson on September 20, 1993. Just like everyone else, the kid grew up the American way. Of course, the star picked up the basketball pretty early in his childhood and set out on his balling journey.

He played for the St. Anthony Varsity Basketball and became a hot prospect after leading his side to two consecutive titles. Eventually, he ended up at UCLA, averaging 12.2 points, alongside just under 9 rebounds and 5.0 assists in two seasons, and he found a spot in the All-Pac-12 First Team on both occasions. In 2014, the Spurs selected him with their 30th pick and added him to the reserves.

It was in 2017 when Kawhi Leonard suffered a quadriceps injury, and that’s when Anderson got a stable position in the starting lineup, averaging more than 26 minutes per game. However, in the following year, he moved to the Grizzlies, where he had a breakout 2020-21 season, averaging 12.4 points. Around the same time, Suzanne made a big breakthrough in her quest to trace their roots!

Kyle Anderson’s mother goes in search of bloodline

There’s always a trigger point to start a quest. Suzanne just didn’t start looking for her roots one day randomly. But, it’s the impact of the treatment she received since her childhood. Speaking in a documentary, she said, “I felt like when I was growing up people are like ‘You know, you look Chinese’. And I am like yeah, maybe. Possibly. I remember this woman telling me ‘Where are you from?’ and I couldn’t answer her. And it bothered me.” 

That was it. That’s the trigger and Suzanne set out to find her roots. The first revelation was that Kyle Anderson’s great-grandfather was a Chinese man. He married a Jamaican woman. Following that, the search operation intensified and Suzanne cracked their family roots in four years.

The work was done, now it’s the hardest part, the emotional journey to meet their people. Suzanne alongside her son and his wife Crystal took a flight to Shenzhen, China, into their home – the Xinmu New Village. Already struck with a combination of nervousness and excitement, the family was welcomed by a big group of relatives. Emotionally moved by this, Kyle Anderson immediately applied for Chinese citizenship and he was later naturalized in 2023, a month before the FIBA WC.

Kyle Anderson rocking the Chinese threads

Following his visit to Shenzhen, the star baller was back in the US, continuing his professional NBA career. After a four-year stint with the Grizzlies, the Timberwolves roped him in ahead of the 2022-23 season. The Chinese-American star had a minimal role, playing 27-odd minutes per game off the bench. However, an important event of his life occurred in 2023, when the Chinese finally decided to give him citizenship.

The entire process of granting Kyle citizenship was spearheaded by the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) president and NBA legend, Yao Ming. Above all, the former Rockets sensation certainly took it seriously and had a non-negotiable policy when it came down to not giving citizenship to players who don’t have blood relations and cultural identity in China. Fortunately, Anderson ticked all the boxes, and he received his citizenship.

Most importantly, Kyle Anderson received a new name as well, Li Kaier! The hooper had an important announcement to make soon after, as he said, “Hello fans in China, this is Li Kaier, I am so happy to announce that I will be representing China in the World Cup. Really proud and honored to wear the Team China jersey.” 

Even though Team China didn’t have a noteworthy tournament winning 1 out of 5 games, Kaier had an impressive run. The new member of the side led the Chinese team in points and rebounds, averaging 13 points and 5 rebounds.

A new home in the Bay Area

Ahead of his 11th season, the Golden State Warriors roped in Kyle Anderson. After a deep playoff run for the Wolves, the Dubs certainly have added experience to their second unit. With Klay Thompson out of the side, the team has matched it up with De’Anthony Melton, Buddy Hield, and Anderson.

Notably, the Dubs have only one vacancy in the starting lineup, and that too for a shooting guard position. So, Anderson is already out of the picture. However, the 30-year-old star is used to working his magic with the restricted minutes he receives on the court. On the other hand, he can support the Dubs on the defensive end. Will Kyle’s addition do the trick for the Warriors? Let us know below.

Before leaving, do watch the Dual Threat Show hosted by BG12 where Bulldogs’ Asia Avinger details her experience with Kobe Bryant, her WNBA ROTY picks, and more in the video below.