Canada men's basketball assured itself of its first trip to the Olympics in 24 years by earning bronze in the 2023 FIBA World Cup. With talent on the rise for the national team, there's reason to believe Canada can be a major player in Paris. The path to success this summer could be about to get even clearer.
Warriors forward and NBA champion Andrew Wiggins would have a roster spot if he wanted one, but the burning question is whether he plans to play in Paris after sitting out of the World Cup following a broken rib.
Canada will be led by Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander one way or another, but adding a 10-year NBA veteran in Wiggins would be a huge boost for a national team on the rise.
Here's a look at what Wiggins said to inspire some hope that he will be suiting up for Team Canada this summer.
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Will Andrew Wiggins play for Team Canada at Olympics?
Wiggins hinted to TSN's SportsCentre that playing in the Olympics this summer is a possibility.
"Just stay tuned. We'll see as the summer goes on," Wiggins said with a big smile on his face. When pressed more, Wiggins only repeated, "stay tuned."
Did @22wiggins just hint that he could be on Team Canada’s Olympic team this summer? pic.twitter.com/r7YJ4aB9cT
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) May 28, 2024
At the very least, the idea of Wiggins suiting up for Canada at the Paris Olympics appears to be very much on the table.
The former No. 1 pick and NBA Rookie of the Year said in October that he aimed to play for Canada in the summer, calling it his "goal" after a rib injury prevented him from suiting up for the World Cup. The Warriors' season ended without a playoff berth in mid-April, which allows Wiggins some extra time to rest up before the Olympics begin in July.
Canada automatically qualified for the Paris Olympics at the 2023 FIBA World Cup. Now, it's just a matter of finalizing the team's 12-man roster with even larger goals in mind.
Team Canada basketball roster projection
There's no debate regarding Canada's growth as a basketball country in recent years, as evidenced by the number of NBA players from the country and the national team's World Cup success. The debate surrounding the 2024 Olympic roster deals with whether to bring in new talent or largely run it back with the team that did so well in 2023.
Team Canada head coach Jordi Fernandez, recently hired by the Nets as their head coach, hinted that preference will be given to "loyalty" in some regards.
"We believe in loyalty," Fernandez told BasketNews in 2023. "Obviously, you come and fight for a spot, but we owe a lot to these guys. If we want to build the right program and if we don't do it this way, it doesn't make sense."
- G Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
- G Jamal Murray
- G Nickeil Alexander-Walker
- G Andrew Nembhard
- F Andrew Wiggins
- F R.J. Barrett
- F Dillon Brooks
- F Melvin Ejim
- F Luguentz Dort
- C Kelly Olynyk
- C Dwight Powell
- C Zach Edey
Gilgeous-Alexander, Murray, Alexander-Walker, Barrett, Brooks, Wiggins, Dort, and Olynyk appear to be roster locks if they want to play. The remaining four spots are up for more debate. Nembhard appears likely to suit up for Canada after Pacers coach Rick Carlisle indicated he expects the former Gonzaga guard to play, while Powell is likely to make the roster given his veteran status and history with Team Canada.
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Ejim is in a similar situation as Powell. The former Iowa State standout has been a major part of Team Canada's recent history as a role player, but he's not an NBA player and is 33.
Edey is another wild card. He was one of the best college basketball players of his era and is expected to be a first-round NBA Draft pick in June, but would he really get selected over more experienced big men? That's a decision Fernandez and GM Rowan Barrett are facing.
Veteran Cory Joseph is another roster contender if Nembhard is excluded or a player decides against participating. Joseph has long been a part of Team Canada's growth, but, like all other members of the team, hasn't gotten a chance to play in the Olympics.
With only 12 roster spots available, debate surrounding the roster could rage on until it's formally announced. What Canada does know is that G Bennedict Mathurin isn't likely to be cleared from injury in time to play in Paris, so he won't be a part of the team's plans.
