TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Isaiah Rider IV has received a Taiwanese passport, announced the Chinese Taipei Basketball Association on Thursday.

Isaiah Rider IV is the son of former NBA dunk champion J.R. Rider. Chang Cheng-chung (張承中), deputy secretary general of the association, said contact with Rider IV’s mother, Vanessa Rider, began in February and, after nine months, the process has come to fruition, per CNA.

Under FIBA regulations, players who obtain a passport before turning 16 are considered domestic players and do not occupy naturalized player slots. Rider IV will not turn 16 until March 12 next year, so if selected for the Taiwanese men’s team, he will compete as a domestic player.

Chang credited the application's success to DPP Legislator Chuang Jui-hsiung (莊瑞雄) and officials from Taiwan's representative office in Los Angeles. “Officials in Los Angeles continuously contacted and even met with Rider IV’s grandmother and mother, enabling them to maintain confidence in Taiwanese basketball," said Chang. 

He added that Vanessa Rider also applied for a Taiwanese passport at the same time. Both passports were issued on Oct. 24 and received on Thursday.

Reflecting on the nine months of negotiations, Chang conceded that there were obstacles along the way. He joked, “Rider IV's grandmother was a bit wary. She thought I was part of some scam group and even asked relatives in Taiwan to check if Chang Cheng-chung really existed. It's quite amusing in hindsight.”

Chang stressed that Vanessa has a strong connection to Taiwan. She taught English in Kaohsiung from 2001 to 2003, later moved to L.A., where she met J.R. Rider, and brought Rider IV back to Taiwan when he was about 18 months old, though they visited less frequently afterward.

At 188 cm tall, Rider IV has already received scholarship offers from Syracuse University, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and Georgia Tech, among others.