Containing Expectations for Canada’s Men’s Basketball Team

The future is golden but right now Canada has one objective on the hardwood: Qualify for the 2014 FIBA World Cup. Al Dannity says the road will be rocky and the current roster should take nothing for granted.

Andrew Wiggins, Anthony Bennett, and Kelly Olynyk all hope to suit up for Canada at the 2014 FIBA World Cup in Spain. Their hopes of playing on the big stage hinge greatly however on other players but fortunately Canada will still have a roster stocked with NBA talent for the FIBA Americas Championship in Venezuela. Joel Anthony (Heat), Andrew Nicholson (Magic) and Tristan Thompson (Cavaliers) are the stand-out names for the national team training camp, which begins today.

The target is a top four finish in Venezuela. If Canada manages that, they’re going to Spain. Failure would leave them hoping for one of four wild cards slots. With Canada likely to have the two most recent first overall picks on their roster, assuming Wiggins goes first next June, they would certainly be among the favourites but FIBA is not the NBA and it’s never wise to leave your fate in the hands of politicians.

Cory Joseph (Spurs), Kris Joseph (Celtics and Nets), and Andy Rautins (Knicks) also bring NBA level experience to the team but Cory Joseph is the only one guaranteed to be in the league next season. The starting five will probably see Cory Joseph at point guard, Kris Joseph at small forward, Nicholson at power forward, with Thompson at centre. Anthony will be the back-up big man but it will be a player without NBA experience that will take the reins at shooting guard. Carl English was a force in Spain’s Liga ACB last year, the best league in Europe. While lacking experience in going up against NBA calibre opposition, English will be familiar with a lot of opposing players and schemes from his time in Europe.

In terms of talent, Canada has a capable squad. Getting that talent to Spain requires more than skill. Brazil will be favourites to take top spot in Group A, leaving Canada in a fight with Puerto Rico for second. Whichever of this pair emerges, the other will face an uphill task to qualify automatically. Jamaica and Uruguay, while weaker than Canada, can’t be wholly discounted but Puerto Rico’s pedigree makes them dangerous. The last time Puerto Rico failed to make the World Cup, then the World Championship, was 1982, and they haven’t finished outside of the top four in the Americas Championship since 2005. This is a serious outfit. Rather than wondering if Canada can go all the way in Venezuela, Basketball fans should worry about doing enough to see their heroes on the world stage next year.