Milwaukee Bucks forward Thon Maker smiles after hitting a three-point shot against the Chicago Bulls. Photo/AP Photos
The NBA has thrown its support behind Thon Maker amid concerns the Milwaukee centre may be adversely affected by US president Donald Trump's controversial immigration order.
Australian Maker's place of birth Sudan is one of seven Muslim-majority countries affected by Trump's move to restrict people entering the US.
The order
affects dual citizens, with the 19-year-old having relocated to Australia from the African nation as a five-year-old, before moving to North America for school. He was drafted with pick No.10 by the Bucks last year.
Maker, a 2.16m centre, and Los Angeles Lakers player Luol Deng both have Sudanese heritage, with Syria, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia and Yemen also included in the temporary travel ban.
"We have reached out to the State Department and are in the process of gathering information to understand how this executive order would apply to players in our league, who are from one of the impacted countries," NBA spokesman Mike Bass said in a statement.
