Revelation of the last World Cup, with the first medal (bronze) in its history at the world championship, the Canada comes back even stronger this summer for the Paris Olympic Games.
With Andrew Wiggins who is part of the pre-selection, among a list of eleven NBA referenced players (plus the future draftee, Zach Edey), the Canadian basketball board can rub its hands at having a very rich talent pool. . A problem of the rich after many years of being too poor…
“All the guys will have to prove themselves”
Knowing that some NBA veterans (Tristan Thompson, Cory Joseph, Brandon Clarke and Chris Boucher) remained behind, that others got lost along the way (Anthony Bennett, Nik Stauskas, Tyler Ennis) and that two young gems (Bennedict Mathurin and Shaedon Sharpe) will be at training camp. But just to prepare for the future.
“All the guys who come to camp will have to prove themselves to make the team”thus hammered the GM of Canadian basketball (and father of RJ), Rowan Barrett on Sportsnet. “Jordi was very, very clear on that. We will not give any place [dans l’effectif], no matter how famous the guys are. »
Concretely, Jordi Fernandez will build around the framework that was formed last summer, led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Dillon Brooks, RJ Barrett, Kelly Olynyk, Lu Dort, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Dwight Powell. The objective will be to integrate Jamal Murray, Andrew Wiggins and the young Andrew Nembhard into this already explosive mix.
“When we leave Las Vegas on July 11, we should have a clearer idea of what our squad will be [olympique]. »
” This is just the beginning “
There will be plenty of choice to fill the last free spots in the squad, with Trey Lyles, Khem Birch, Zach Edey on the interior positions. But there is still Mfiondu Kabengele, Kyle Alexander, and brothers Philip and Thomas Scrubb, old hands who experienced the dark days of the selection.
“We want to form the strongest squad possible to go for gold and Murray is the type of player who can be the detonator in the fourth quarter, to explode a defense. [De même], Andrew Wiggins is a real pro. Every time he has been with us, he has been very good. An Andrew in good shape and in full possession of his physical means is a very, very good player for us! »
Placed in Group A, in which they will face Australia, the winner of the TQO in Spain (Spain, Angola, Lebanon, Bahamas, Finland, Poland) and the winner of the TQO in Greece (Greece, Slovenia, Croatia, New Zealand , Egypt, Dominican Republic), the Canadians will leave with the label of favorite. To go for gold?
“Our selection is in a very good position, and we continue to grow. This is just the beginning “, concludes Rowan Barrett. “I have been working to build our system and our teams for ten years and I firmly believe that we are in a position to have a talent pool to take us to the 2032 Olympics and beyond. But our objective is very clear for this summer: we are aiming for the top of the podium. We are going to Paris to win. »
PRE-SELECTION CANADA
Kyle Alexander, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, RJ Barrett, Trae Bell-Haynes, Khem Birch, Oshae Brissett, Dillon Brooks, Luguentz Dort, Zach Edey, Melvin Ejim, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Mfiondu Kabengele, Trey Lyles, Jamal Murray, Andrew Nembhard , Kelly Olynyk, Dwight Powell, Phil Scrubb, Thomas Scrubb and Andrew Wiggins.
