TORONTO — First, we’ll start with who intends to be at the 2028 Olympics, playing for the Canadian men’s national basketball team, trying to earn a medal for the first time since 1936, rather than who isn’t and why.  

Yes, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the two-time NBA most valuable player, is among the 23 players revealed on Monday by general manager Rowan Barrett as he introduced the program’s new head coach, Gord Herbert. 

As will his cousin, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who recently won the NBA’s Most Improved Player Award after his breakout season with the Atlanta Hawks. And RJ Barrett, who had the best year of his career with the Toronto Raptors. And Dillon Brooks, Canada’s World Cup hero from 2023, who sparked a cultural shift with the Phoenix Suns. Along with Andrew Nembhard, who averaged career highs across the board for the Indiana Pacers and veteran big man Kelly Olynyk, who is playing in the NBA Finals with the San Antonio Spurs. 

Those are the returning NBA pieces from the team that lost in the quarterfinals at the 2024 Olympics in Paris who have committed to be part of the program for this summer's World Cup qualifying windows in Hamilton and Quebec City and, presuming Canada qualifies, at next summer’s FIBA Basketball World Cup and the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

It’s a formidable group, and the choices that Herbert and Barrett will have to augment it are talented and plentiful. Deciding who won’t make the final 12-man rosters will be difficult. 

It’s why Barrett didn’t hedge when stating the program’s goal for 2027 and, ultimately, the Olympics in 2028:

“In this [Olympic cycle], our expectation is to get to the top of the podium. We believe we have the athletes; we have the experience and now we believe we have the coaching in place to take this next step,” said Barrett, who took over as GM in 2019, helping Canada to a best-ever bronze medal finish at the 2023 World Cup and a fifth-place finish in Paris. 

But the step will be taken without one of the greatest players in Canadian basketball........

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