I’ve always loved basketball. For as long as I can remember it’s been a huge part of my life. However, the problem with growing up as a fan of the game in Canada is that none of my idols were from up north, so I had to cheer for the American heroes.
Last week, I turned on the TV and watched the highlights from a FIBA men’s game between Canada and Argentina. If this were five years ago I wouldn’t even expect a game within 30 points, let alone a Canada win, but this time around something was different.
When I used to watch the Olympics or FIBA tournaments on TV as a kid, it was always the same story: “The U.S. wins another game by 20.” And as great as it was getting to watch the best players in the world all compete together on one team, it was boring, predictable, and most importantly disappointing.
I remember cheering for Carlos Arroyo and the Puerto Rican men’s team just so I wouldn’t have to watch the US win another championship. Fast forward to 2015, and it is a whole different story.
Coming off of a best-ever silver medal finish at the 2015 Pan Am Games in Toronto, the Canadian men are on the rise. Their roster boasts a ton of big name talent all across the board, which has been a rarity in years past.
The squad features two former first-overall picks: Anthony Bennett and Andrew Wiggins – who is also the reigning NBA Rookie of the Year. The aforementioned players were the first two Canadians ever taken with the top spot in the draft.
Top that off with hard-working Cory Joseph, big-man Kelly Olynyk, and sharpshooter Nik Stauskas, and the future is bright for the Canucks.
Joseph is an all-around loveable player. The guy is a hustler who will always lay his body out and get on the floor for the team. He runs the fast break well and is a great defender who you can count on for steals, and a spark when Canada is in need of one.
Bennett is the post presence down low that Canada needs to compete on an international stage. It’s a presence that they’ve only come close to with Samuel Dalembert. In that regard, Bennett is a huge step up.
Olynyk is a great player to have for the pick-and-roll game, and you can count on him to put some points on the board using both his abilities inside the paint, and his smooth mid-range game.
Stauskas is also a player to keep an eye on for Canada. He’s a lights-out shooter from beyond the arc, but also has a surprisingly smooth touch around the rim when finishing in traffic.
Of course, the man holding it all together for the boys in red and white is Wiggins. His athletic ability is almost unmatched in a league where the bar is set very high.
He understands the role he plays in reviving Canadian basketball, and he plays it well. The new captain Canada is here to stay, and you can catch him in the air soaring over defenders, or on your local highlight reel.
This team is going to be extremely fun to watch, and as their chemistry grows, they will quickly become a force to be reckoned with.
