Title: Anas Mahmoud hopes to become Egypt’s first homegrown NBA player with Raptors
Date: August 25, 2021
Original Source: The Athletic
Synopsis: In my latest for The Athletic Toronto, I wrote about Anas Mahmoud and his desire to become Egypt’s first homegrown NBA player.
LAS VEGAS — Anas Mahmoud looked tired. Understandably so. As the FIBA AfroBasket 2021 tournament tipped off in Rwanda on Tuesday, Mahmoud was in the latest leg of a dramatic, exciting, summer of travel. Given everything on his plate, it’s easy to forgive a shaky start.
That Mahmoud is even there is a testament to his commitment to Egypt and the impact he hopes to have on their basketball program long-term. The reason for Mahmoud’s exhausting couple of weeks is rooted in that same desire — he is trying to become the first homegrown Egyptian player to play in the NBA.
There have been Egyptian players in the NBA before. Abdel Nader of the Phoenix Suns was born in Alexandria, former five-year veteran Alaa Abdelnaby in Cairo. Both of those players moved to the United States as young children, though, coming up in the American development system and jumping right to the professional ranks in the U.S. While Mahmoud did leave Egypt for his final year of high school and four years at Louisville, he then returned home to play with Zamalek of the Egyptian Super League. His path, then, offers greater representation for the growing number of basketball fans and hopefuls in Egypt.
Blake Murphy Sports Writing 