It’s no secret that Canada has often lagged behind the rest of the world in men’s basketball. Even when European nations started to bridge the gap between the United States and the rest of the world, Canada failed to make much progress. The Canadians haven’t won a medal in men’s basketball since taking silver in 1936. Heading into the 2024 Olympics in Paris, Canada hasn’t even qualified in men’s basketball since 2000. But after winning bronze at the 2023 FIBA World Cup, does Canada’s men’s basketball team have a chance to shock the world at the Olympics?
This is truly a new era of Canadian basketball with a new generation of stars who can be included among the best NBA players right now. The roster that Steve Nash led at the Olympics in 2000 pales in comparison to the one competing in Paris.
When Canada Basketball announced its final roster for the World Cup in August, seven players on the 12-man squad were NBA players—the most of any team aside from Australia and the USA. The standout name from this talented group is undoubtedly Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Over the past two seasons, the 25-year-old Toronto native has established himself as one of the NBA’s premier talents.
At the World Cup, he led Canada on a historic run, securing victories over Tokyo 2020 silver medalists France, two-time World Cup winners Spain, and reigning Olympic champions USA in the bronze medal game, where he notched a double-double with 31 points and 12 assists. It was a monumental for Canada, potentially setting the stage for bigger things at the Olympics.
Gilgeous-Alexander may get the most attention, but he is not the only player giving Canada hope for the Olympics and raising expectations within the team. For starters, there is R.J. Barrett, who has averaged over 20 points and five rebounds per game during his NBA career. He provides a proven wing scorer to complement a point guard like Gilgeous-Alexander and take some pressure off Canada’s best player.
The Olympic roster also features Dillon Brooks, who is known for his defensive skills and won Best Defensive Player honors at the 2023 World Cup. Other NBA players on the roster include Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Trey Lyles, Jamal Murray, Andrew Nembhard, and Kelly Olynyk. Each one is good enough to play in the NBA and brings something to the table that can help Canada during the Olympics.
With that collection of players, Canada has the makings of an elite team. The Canadians have seasoned NBA veterans who are accustomed to playing against the types of players they’ll be facing during the Olympics. Canada may not have the same collection of stars that the U.S. team has with LeBron James, Steph Curry, and others. However, the Canadian team won’t be intimidated and they will be playing together. With that mindset combined with the talent on the roster, Canada isn’t going to settle for anything less than gold.
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