By Canadian Press

Gilgeous-Alexander headlines Canada’s roster for World Cup qualifiers

Aug 18, 2022 | 12:15 PM

TORONTO — Oklahoma City guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander headlines Canada’s men’s basketball roster for the next World Cup qualifying window.

Canada plays Argentina on Aug. 25 in Victoria and then travels to Panama for a game on Aug. 29. 

Canada Basketball’s 15-player training camp roster for the fourth window includes Nickeil Alexander-Walker of the Utah Jazz, Dallas Mavericks forward Dwight Powell, and Detroit Pistons Kelly Olynyk and Cory Joseph.

RJ Barrett, Khem Birch, Dillon Brooks, Luguentz Dort, and Jamal Murray will attend training camp, Aug. 22-24 in Victoria, but won’t play in this window.

Canada was the only country in the Americas to go undefeated (6-0) in the first round of qualifiers, and is in Group E for the second round along with Venezuela (5-1), Argentina (5-1), Dominican Republic (4-2), Panama (2-4), and Bahamas (2-4).

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Gilgeous-Alexander made his first national team appearance in six years at the previous qualifying window in July. He had 32 points in a 95-75 win over the Dominican Republic in his hometown of Hamilton and 24 points in a 113-67 win over the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Eighty countries are playing across six qualifying windows to secure their place among the 30 who will join host Japan and the Philipines in next summer’s 32-team FIBA World Cup, which is a direct qualifier for the 2024 Paris Olympics a year later. 

In this second round, the 12 teams in the Americas will be divided into two groups of six. The three best in each group plus the best fourth-place team will clinch World Cup berths.

The FIBA World Cup 2023 is Aug. 25 to Sept. 10, 2023, in the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia.

Canada is currently ranked 18th in FIBA. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 18, 2022.

The Canadian Press