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Josh Lewenberg: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on playing in front of his hometown crowd: “For as long as I’ve known Hamilton, it’s always loved sports. When a homegrown talent is involved it’s amplified and that’s what we got tonight… Hamilton might need an NBA team one day”
Josh Lewenberg: The starters are done for the night, with Canada up big. SGA: 26 points in 27 minutes, 4 assists, 2 steals/2 blocks, 9-14 FG, 7-8 FT Nembhard: 23 points in 27 minutes, 4 assists, 9-11 FG, 5-7 3P Brooks: 15 points in 22 minutes, 7-12 FG
Josh Lewenberg: The Canadian co-captains, SGA & Brooks, have been great but Andrew Nembhard's been the best player on the floor tonight. 23 pts in 22 mins, 9-11 FG, 5-7 3P (including a nasty step-back just now). Told us the other day he was itching to play after an early start to his offseason.
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Josh Lewenberg: This is the 3rd time in the last 4 summers that cousins SGA and NAW have been teammates for 🇨🇦. Prior to that, they hadn't played together since high school. Nickeil: "We spend a lot of time laughing and enjoying each other’s company. In a lot of ways, he’s like my best friend"
Josh Lewenberg: RJ Barrett, Zach Edey, Dwight Powell and Kelly Olynyk are here watching Canada-Puerto Rico. For various reasons (injury/contractual, mostly), they're not playing this summer but maintain spots in the country's player pool. Expected to be in the mix for the World Cup next summer.
Justin Martinez: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander invested into the recently-opened TD Coliseum in his hometown of Hamilton, Ontario, in February. The arena’s Shai Legacy Court was unveiled today. It’ll debut when SGA and Team Canada face Puerto Rico (July 3) and Jamaica (July 6) in the FIBA World Cup 2027 Americas Qualifiers.
Tony East: Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard has been named to Canada’s Senior Men’s National Team training camp roster ahead of upcoming FIBA Men’s World Cup Qualifiers.
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Josh Lewenberg: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on watching Canada in the FIFA World Cup: "Watching their games & their success, it's been inspiring. To see the growth in that program & where it's come in a short amount of time, it's been inspiring, it's been fun, and it makes you proud to be Canadian."
Sources say Jay Triano, who has coached both the Raptors and the Suns in addition to numerous stops as an assistant and a lengthy stint as head coach of Canada's national team, is a leading candidate to join Micah Nori’s first coaching staff in Portland after working on Jason Kidd’s staff in Dallas last season. Nori’s first coaching job in the NBA came after working as an advance scout for more than a decade when Triano made him part of his Raptors coaching staff.
At the NBA House pop-up event in Montreal promoting the league final between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs, a former champion expressed enthusiasm about the city one day hosting a franchise in basketball’s highest league. Serge Ibaka, a 2019 champion with the Toronto Raptors, Canada’s only NBA franchise, said at La Nesra in Griffintown on Friday that the second largest market in the country “deserves a team.” “The way things are here, it’s a beautiful city. I feel people love sport in general here,” Ibaka said.
Ibaka, of Congolese-Spanish descent, remains a fan favourite in Toronto and would’ve been one in Montreal as a bilingual player. He said playing in a francophone market during his playing days would have been a great experience. Ibaka played 14 years, from 2009-2023, for five teams. “I’m sure it would be amazing to live and play here,” he said.
