As if San Diego Republican politics aren't filled with enough intrigue in the wake of the departure from the party by mayoral candidate and Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher, a GOP political and sports star from the Pacific Northwest has announced he is about to set down roots here.

Republican Chris Dudley, the professional basketball star who narrowly lost his bid to become governor of Oregon eighteen months ago, has announced via his facebook page that he and his family are moving to San Diego at the end of the school year.

The 16-year NBA veteran, who once played for the Portland Trail Blazers, lost to Democrat John Kitzhaber by just 1.5 percentage points in 2010, according to a story posted online by the Portland Oregonian.

According to the dispatch: "Dudley said in a telephone interview that his wife, Chris, has a business opportunity in the [San Diego] area and that it also made sense for his work as a financial adviser to have a presence in Southern California.

"Dudley said he had earlier decided not to run for office again in Oregon, but that he wasn't moving because of any unhappiness over Oregon's political direction.

"'California is a blue state, too,' he noted.

"Dudley said in his post that he would continue to maintain a residence in Oregon and would continue his charitable and civic activities here. 

"The Chris Dudley Foundation, which works to combat diabetes, will remain headquartered in Oregon, he said, and he will continue to operate his summer basketball camp for kids with diabetes in Vernonia."

UPDATE: A Facebook post on Dudley notes he played basketball for Torrey Pines High School before going to Yale.