Ibaka shoots down age-related rumors: 'I was not born in the jungle'

Serge Ibaka has had enough with the debate over his age.

Born Sept. 18, 1989 in the Republic of the Congo, the 27-year-old free agent big man has long been forced to listen to pundits questioning his background, specifically whether he has been lying about his date of birth in order to increase his earning power as a professional athlete.

Ibaka released the following statement Saturday on his personal Twitter account:

The same questions that have dogged Ibaka throughout his career have long been tied to other NBA players of African descent, including Orlando Magic center Bismack Biyombo, also born in the Congo, and Milwaukee Bucks big man Thon Maker, born in South Sudan.

The Toronto Raptors, who acquired Ibaka in a trade with the Magic in February, are considered strong candidates to re-sign the defensive-minded big man.