Jamal Murray of the Denver Nuggets drives past OG Anunoby of the Toronto Raptors in Toronto on December 20, 2023.Frank Gunn/Canadian Press
After Tuesday's drawing, we now have some idea of the first hurdle facing Canada's men's basketball team at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
It avoided America, but would have to overcome Australia, Spain (probably), and another European power. I can't say for sure as the qualifying round hasn't ended yet. Not necessarily a good thing, but far from terrible.
What will be difficult for the women's team is a draw. The women's team is even better, with hosts France and Australia once again in the group.
For men, the difficult part comes before the difficult part.
Canada has two senior men's basketball teams, the one that made it this far and the one with the best chance of medaling. Now it is necessary to decide which of them will participate in the Olympics.
A few years ago, after being stripped on and off so many times, the Canadian system asked players to make multi-year commitments to the national team. Fourteen men did so.
Key among them was Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. At the time, he was an up-and-coming player. Now, he's a solid top-five superstar in the NBA.
Gilgeous-Alexander was the first member of this generation of Canadian stars to not treat summer like a religious retreat. His commitment inspired second-division standouts like Dillon Brooks to make the same commitment. The two, along with Toronto Raptor RJ Barrett, form the core of Team Canada.
Jamal Murray of the Denver Nuggets is another game-changing star for Canada. He did not fulfill that promise, but he keeps making excuses. Either he was a little under the weather, entering his contract year, or the dog ate his plane ticket. Murray hasn't exactly shut down Canada, but he's often unavailable to answer the phone.
Murray begged to sit out the 2023 FIBA Championship, where Canada finished an unexpected third place and qualified for the Paris 2024 Games, but made sure to attend the first photo shoot.
“I still showed up to training camp. I was still around the players,” Murray told reporters a few months ago. “I felt the atmosphere there and they did a great job. They're on the rise and we have the players to come out next year and compete for gold.”
Did you catch that slippery pronoun switch there? “They” have qualified, but “we” will be in the Olympics.
Should someone who has done more than “feel the vibe” lose the spot because Murray skipped rehearsal, but still wants to go on opening night?
The second, more difficult proposition is Andrew Wiggins. He shows the same in-and-out pattern as Murray. This is a tough choice because he's not the same level of player, but he's still better than the average Bear.
When it was up in the air, Wiggins wanted it both ways. He said, “If I could make it to the Olympics, I would love to play,'' but he wasn't ready to participate in the effort to get there.
“I got a life outside of basketball,” Wiggins told reporters.
I mean, what happens to those who show up? Are they all basketball monks?
In the six months since Canada qualified, there has been a lively debate about who should play. He has two sides to this. “Imagine how much better it would be if this starting guy featured five guys,'' and “Imagine how wrong it would be if we brought in the opposition and lost anyway.'' please look.”
No one says anything about a theoretical Canadian team that beats the Americans and goes all the way. That team can be packed with tax frauds, flakes, and outright villains, but no one cares in Canada. All they see is money.
Now that there is a clear lane to the knockout rounds, the debate will be up for debate. No other national team in Paris will come under such scrutiny. Sorry to everyone else, but this is his true NBA-caliber charm. This is the real world stage.
If Canada gets this right, it will be a national moment on par with hockey's gold medal. If done poorly, it could ruin the entire Olympic experience.
There are several methods, but cutting the baby in half may be the most effective.
Should Murray be on the team? yes. He's too good to be like that.
Is it strictly fair for him to enjoy the glory without doing the hard work? No, it's not. But if you want complete fairness in sports, he should stick to tee ball.
On a macro scale, the Olympics are a brave endeavor. On a personal level, it's a fight in the closet over broken glass. We care about the differences because they are significant.
Perversely, the idea of Murray taking over a player who hasn't been able to make it to the big stage adds even more flavor to the soup. Such brutality makes this story more real than comforting. It gradually increases the stakes.
Murray's participation greatly improves Canada's chances of finishing on the podium. Along with Gilgeous-Alexander, Canada will have the best backcourt in the tournament. That assumes Murray is healthy, which you can never assume. The man's ankle is twisted by the strong wind.
If Murray wants to go, that's fine, but he'll have to suffer for it. He should have asked. If Canada explodes in Paris, he should be more responsible than anyone else. He was the prime candidate for ruining the chemistry.
The winner is always right, so this is what would have happened if Canada had won.
Wiggins improves Canada's chances, but it doesn't improve them significantly. He's having a down year in Golden State. He is no longer good enough to deserve special treatment.
Replacing one of the defending NBA champions is a small adjustment that everyone on the team will get used to. Replacing two people is a big change, including his second who could take over the starting job for one of his most loyal players (Barrett).
If you're talking about Wiggins from three years ago, then sure.
I guess it's from last year.
From this year, no.
Zero-sum works both ways. In this case, the ship is large enough to accommodate one stowaway. If you have two, you are more likely to fall.
Plus, telling Wiggins to stay home would be doing him a favor. He also has a life outside of basketball. Part of that may be watching a team you could have been a part of doing something great from the quiet comfort of your couch.
