17-year-old high school basketball star tipped for the NBA may actually be 29

South Sudanese man is being detained after allegedly falsifying information on a visa application

Nicola's high school basketball coach suggested that he was good enough to play nationally (AC Livestrong - YouTube)

A star high school basketball player tipped to play professionally in the US NBA has been detained in Canada after it emerged he may be 29, rather than 17.

Jonathan Nicola, who is 6ft 9in and a refugee from South Sudan, entered Canada on a student visa and attended Catholic Central High School in Windsor, Ontario, where he became a star player on the basketball team, the Catholic Central Comets.

However the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has now arrested Mr Nicola for contravening the Immigration Refugee Protection Act by misrepresenting or withholding details about himself. He is currently being detained ahead of a forthcoming hearing with the Immigration Refugee Board.

Mr Nicola after he applied for a US visitor’s visa ahead of a planned trip to Michigan, which is allegedy what caused suspicion to arise. Mr Nicola had allegedly applied for the visitor's visa once before, but with different details.

CBSA told The Independent: "Mr. Nicola submitted an application for a Canadian study permit abroad with a DOB of November 25, 1998. When he recently applied for a US visitor visa, it was determined by fingerprint match, that he was the same individual who had made a previous application to the US using a DOB of November 1, 1986."

Mr Nicola's next detention hearing is scheduled to take place on Tuesday 26 April.

A spokesperson for Catholic Central High School, Stephen Fields, told the Windsor Star: “There’s not really a whole lot to say, because of the fact this is a matter that’s still outstanding before the federal authorities.

“Generally I can tell you that we have a system of checks and balances in place that whenever international students are coming into any of our schools, we make sure that they have all of the necessary government documentation.”

In an article published by the Windsor Star in January, before claims were made about Mr Nicola’s identity, his basketball coach Pete Cusumano praised him for his basketball talent, speculating that he could play nationally.

“I think this kid will have a chance at the NBA,” Mr Cusumano said, “I have never said that about any kid from Windsor.”

Mr Nicola himself was also interviewed from the article, and described the difficulties he had face in South Sudan.

“Our country is not a stable country,” he said “Any time we can have war.”