Canadian-Chinese actor Kris Wu, who is popular for his movie and television career in China and as the ex-leader of the K-pop band EXO, is set to flaunt his basketball skills in an NBA hardcourt as he is picked to play for the Drake-led Team Canada in the 2016 NBA All-Star Celebrity Game on Feb. 12.
Wu's teammates include former NBA stars Tracy McGrady and Rick Fox, WNBA's Indiana Fever forward Natalie Achonwa, HGTV's "Property Brothers" Drew and Jonathan Scott, Canadian-Montenegrin tennis player Milos Raonic, Arcade Fire lead vocalist Win Butler, and actor Stephan James, as per NBC News.
They will face a Kevin Hart-coached Team USA that has former NBA stars Muggsy Bogues and Chauncey Billups, WNBA's Chicago Sky guard-forward Elena Delle Donne, actor Michael B. Jordan, actor and musician Nick Cannon, and other celebrities.
Wu, a 25-year-old Guangzhou, Guangdong, China native, immigrated to Vancouver, Canada with his mother when he was 10 years old. He returned to Guangzhou to attend middle school in 2005 and at the age of 15 became the captain of his school's basketball team.
He led his team to become champions in the China Junior NBA tournament-South China Region that year, then went back to Vancouver.
There, he again became the basketball team captain of the Canadian schools he attended, namely Point Grey Secondary School and Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School.
Two years later, he auditioned for S.M. Entertainment's Canadian S.M. Global Auditions before moving to South Korea upon passing the audition. He joined EXO in February 2012 which eventually began his career.
Cri English noted that Wu expressed his excitement about playing in the NBA through his Weibo account, saying "chasing my dream, thank you NBA".