Americans star on an Iraqi basketball team. Its owners include forces that attacked US troops

By Abby Sewell and Qassim Abdul-Zahra | The Associated Press Isaac Banks, left, and, Uchenna Iroegbu, right, American basketball players with the Hashed al-Shaabi – the Popular Mobilization Forces – in the Iraqi Basketball Super League, take part in a team practice in Baghdad, Iraq, Thursday, March 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban) BAGHDAD (AP) — A pro basketball team in Iraq is owned by a paramilitary group, and some of its forces recently attacked U.S. troops. But this hostility toward Uncle Sam has its limits: The team is banking on a high-scoring American to help lead them to a championship. Like many former U.S. college basketball players facing stiff competition for a spot in the NBA, 27-year-old Uchenna Iroegbu of Sacramento has taken his talents abroad, excelling on teams in Nigeria and Qatar. Now the 6-foot point guard is in Baghdad after signing last month with Hashed al-Shaabi — the Popular Mobilization Forces — just in time for the Iraqi Basketball Super League playoffs. From a basketball perspective, signing Iroegbu was a no-brainer; he led Qatar’s league in scoring, averaging 27 points per game. Politically, it’s a little more complicated. The U.S. has had a fraught relationship with Iraq since...