Canada’s Senior Men’s National Basketball Team is set to compete on the Olympic stage for the first time in 24 years.
Team Canada secured a spot in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games with its third-place finish at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup. This will be the program’s first appearance on the Olympics stage since Steve Nash and Rowan Barrett led the team to the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
Now, Canada Basketball enters its golden age with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jamal Murray headlining a list of Canadians who are starring in the NBA.
Which Canadians are expected to represent Team Canada on the court in the 2024 Olympics? Here is a roundup of news and NBA commitments for training camp ahead of the Paris Games.
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Alexander-Walker is one of six players featured in a graphic promoting Team Canada’s friendly exhibition with Team USA in July. The Timberwolves guard is featured alongside Luguentz Dort, Kelly Olynyk, Dwight Powell, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Dillon Brooks and RJ Barrett.
During the Western Conference Semifinals, Nuggets guard Jamal Murray said, “I’m gonna ask for that same defense on Team Canada (this summer),” as he assessed Alexander-Walker’s performance during the series.
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Birch has accepted an invite to Canada Basketball training camp, according to TSN’s Michael Grange. Birch finished the 2023-24 season playing in Spain but has not represented Canada internationally since 2019.
In December, Barrett had this to say of the Olympics: “It’s going to be fun, it’s going to be exciting. First time we’ve been there in 20-something years, so I’m just ready to go … Just enjoy the time with my guys. We did something special and we’re going to try to continue to do that.”
With Boston in the NBA Finals, Brissett had this to say of the Olympics to Sportsnet’s Arash Madani:
My mindset is to be ready for it — we talk about roles — wherever they want to put me at, I feel like I’m going to be able to do it. And I’m really excited for that.
While attending a EuroLeague game in May, Brooks said, “We all think the same goal is to win the gold. We like the pool that we’re in … We’re going to come together with another season — another time to come together under our belt — and add a couple players and do the thing again.”
Dort, a mainstay for Canada’s Senior National Team, confirmed his participation in the Summer Olympics during his end-of-season interview following the Thunder’s playoff exit.
“It’s going to be a lot of traveling,” Dort said. “The Olympics is something big. I can’t take that for granted. I’m looking forward to getting ready with the team, and at the same time, taking care of my body.”
Edey, the back-to-back National College Player of the Year, stated his intentions after an NBA Draft workout with his hometown Raptors.
“I’ll be there,” Edey said of Team Canada’s training camp and the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. Edey was a member of Canada’s third-place team during the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup.
“I’m super excited for Team Canada,” Gilgeous-Alexander said during his end-of-season interview in Oklahoma City. “I get to play with a lot of guys I grew up with. I get to play real games in the summer — that’s always fun. Play for my country, try to do something that’s never been done before.
“Yeah, it’ll be super fun.”
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Joseph will not be invited to Canada Basketball’s training camp. The 13-year veteran called the decision “disheartening” in an interview with Sportsnet’s Michael Grange.
“Lyles will be in [Canada Basketball] training camp,” ESPN and Sacramento Kings analyst Marc Jones reported on X (formerly Twitter). Lyles will compete for a spot in Canada’s frontcourt on the Olympic roster.
After the Nuggets were eliminated from the Western Conference Semifinals, Murray was asked if he would be a member of Team Canada at the 2024 Paris Games.
Denver’s star guard responded by nodding and saying, “Yep.”
“Drew Nembhard, I believe, is going to be with Team Canada,” Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said after the Eastern Conference Finals.
Carlisle’s assertion would confirm a sourced report from Sportsnet’s Michael Grange.
“The expectation, per sources, is that the 24-year-old — who last played for Canada at the World Cup in 2019 — will be in training camp for the national team in June and is all but a lock to be on the Olympic roster in July,” Grange wrote on May 27.
“With the Olympics, you need to be able to get back into it and build up to that so that you’re peaking at the right time,” Olynyk said of his offseason plans. “And then obviously, playing in the Olympics.”
Powell was a member of Canada’s third-place squad at the FIBA Basketball World Cup in 2023 and is also featured on the promotional graphic for Canada’s July exhibition.
On May 28, Wiggins appeared on TSN’s SportsCentre and said, “Stay tuned, and we’ll see as the summer goes on,” when asked if fans would see him on the floor at the Olympics.
| Position | Player | Team |
| G | Nickeil Alexander-Walker | Timberwolves |
| F | RJ Barrett | Raptors |
| C | Khem Birch | Free agent |
| F | Oshae Brissett | Celtics |
| F | Dillon Brooks | Rockets |
| G | Luguentz Dort | Thunder |
| C | Zach Edey | TBD |
| G | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | Thunder |
| G | Cory Joseph | Free agent |
| F | Trey Lyles | Kings |
| G | Jamal Murray | Nuggets |
| G | Andrew Nembhard | Pacers |
| F | Kelly Olynyk | Raptors |
| C | Dwight Powell | Mavericks |
| F | Andrew Wiggins | Warriors |
Fernandez will reprise his role as head coach of Team Canada during the Olympics.
After Fernandez accepted the Nets head coaching position, there were questions about his availability for the summer. On April 22, Canada Basketball General Manager Rowan Barrett issued a statement that confirmed that Fernandez would be on the sideline in Paris.
“We have been working closely with both Jordi and the Nets throughout the process, and we can confirm that Jordi will remain as our coach this summer at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games as we look to build on the success we had last summer at the FIBA Men’s Basketball World Cup.”
