North Charlotte Today

Marques Bolden, a two-way center for the Charlotte Hornets, has found a second home in Indonesia after becoming a naturalized citizen and playing for the country's national basketball team. Born in Dallas and a former McDonald's High School All-American, Bolden played three seasons at Duke University before going undrafted in 2019. Since then, he has played sporadically in the NBA G League.

Bolden's journey to Indonesia began when he and his agent, Michael Johnson, sought summer playing opportunities abroad. Despite having no Indonesian ancestry, Bolden became eligible to play for the Indonesian National Team by becoming a naturalized citizen. "We did a lot of research on the country of Indonesia and the basketball culture over there," said Bolden.

Naturalization required him to learn and recite the Indonesian National Anthem and laws before receiving citizenship. He adopted the nickname "Joyo" due to pronunciation challenges with his first name in Indonesian.

Led by Serbian-born Head Coach Miloš Pejić since 2021, Indonesia's national team has made strides under Bolden's participation. The team won its first Southeast Asian Games gold medal with an undefeated record and achieved its highest finish at the FIBA Asia Cup since 1985.

Basketball is gaining popularity in Indonesia despite not being as prominent as other sports like soccer or badminton. "Basketball is growing in Indonesia," explained Bolden. He remains committed to promoting basketball through youth camps and other initiatives.

Bolden's experience transcends basketball; he plans to continue representing Indonesia until his career ends. "I love Indonesia, a very beautiful country that’s unique, diverse and on its way," he said.