Is Afeaki a ringer?

Paul Afeaki Khouri is supposed to be half-Filipino, half-Lebanese. But according to the authoritative Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook, he’s a native of Nukualofa, Tonga.

For five years, Afeaki played as an import–his citizenship was listed as American–in the Japanese league. The 6-10, 220-pound center had previously seen action for Fanerbahce Istanbul in Turkey. In Japan, Afeaki was a monster under the boards. He grabbed 8.9 rebounds a game for the Efini Broncos in 1996-97. Three seasons later, the burly slotman shot 65.7 percent from the field and averaged 11.8 rebounds for Phoenix, also in the Japanese first division.

Wonder of wonders, Afeaki has changed his surname to Khouri and carrying a Lebanese passport, now plays for the Lebanese national squad. His Filipina mother reportedly lives with him in Beirut. As for his Lebanese father, nobody knows where he is. Maybe, he doesn’t even exist. How can Afeaki, or Khouri, be Lebanese if his mother is Filipina and he hails from Tonga? The Lebanese connection seems fishy.

When he played in Japan, Afeaki teamed with a certain Jerald Wrightsil who later became an agent offering Texas players to teams all over the world.

Wrightsil even penetrated the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) market and brought in a handful of imports, including Ira Clark and Tremaine Wingfield. It was rumored that Wrightsil was involved in bringing in "Fil-Shams" to the Metropolitan Basketball Association (MBA) but he vehemently denied it in a letter to The Star. Could Wrightsil have had a hand in arranging Afeaki’s Lebanese citizenship? Should we expect another denial from Wrightsil?

Afeaki is no spring chicken. He’s 34 years old. In the World Basketball Championships player directory, Afeaki’s birthplace was listed as Lebanon. Could this be true?

In the Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook, it was mentioned that Afeaki came to the US to play hoops at South San Francisco high school.

There was no reference to Lebanon, only Tonga. After high school, Afeaki suited up for Snow Junior College in Idaho. He was a star at Snow JC, averaging 20 points and 12 rebounds. That led to his enrollment at the University of Utah, an NCAA Division I school that has produced the likes of National Basketball Association (NBA) players Keith Van Horn, Andre Miller and Michael Doleac.

In his first year at Utah, Afeaki had a brush with the law and was almost deported back to Tonga, reported writer Chris Wallace. Later in the season, he was shot in the shoulder in a street altercation. It happened after a post-game dinner. Afeaki and his wife were in their car when a driver of another car began to tailgate them. Afeaki had earlier cut off the driver on the road. Afeaki stopped the other car and as he approached the vehicle, the driver rolled down the window and fired a semiautomatic pistol. Luckily, the wound did not require surgery and Afeaki was back on the court after sitting out three games. The gunman was never apprehended.

Afeaki went on to average 6.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 14.1 minutes that year. He also hit 70-of-140 field goals for a 50 percent clip. The Utah varsity finished with a 30-4 record under coach Rick Majerus and made it to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA playoffs.

In 1991-92, Afeaki’s second and last year at Utah, he was named to the All-Western Athletic Conference mythical second team. He averaged 12.3 points and 6.1 rebounds as the varsity registered a 24-11 mark and wound up third in the National Invitation Tournament. Afeaki hit 57.1 percent from the field to cap a creditable collegiate career.

Wallace, writing for Blue Ribbon, said Afeaki is "quick for his size, runs the floor well, not a great offensive player but can score close to the basket."

From Utah, Afeaki played for Columbus and Rapid City in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) in 1992-93. He averaged only 3.3 points and two rebounds in 21 total games. From the CBA, Afeaki tried his luck playing overseas and eventually landed in Lebanon–supposedly, the land of his birth.

In Indianapolis, Afeaki was known as Khouri. He averaged 6.4 points and 6.6 rebounds in five games. Khouri shot 13-of-23 from the floor and 6-of-12 from the line. Against Algeria, he tallied 16 points on 7-of-9 field goals and 2-of-4 free throws in 36 minutes.

No doubt, Khouri will be an asset for Lebanon at the coming Asian Games in Busan. He’ll team up with 6-11 Joe Vogel, a Seattle SuperSonics second round draft pick in 1996, to form a Twin Towers combination that should be tough to topple.

Under International Basketball Federation (FIBA) rules, a national team may recruit only a single naturalized player. Vogel is Lebanon’s choice for that slot–he acquired Lebanese citizenship by marrying a local girl.

Khouri isn’t a naturalized citizen. Because his father is supposed to be Lebanese, Khouri is eligible to play on the national team as a local. But if his father is Lebanese and his mother is Filipina, why is Khouri, or Afeaki, from Tonga?

Philippine team coach Joseph Uichico yesterday asked Asi Taulava, a Fil-Tongan, if he’d heard of Afeaki. Taulava said he didn’t know him.