Miss Olympics gives Canada’s men’s basketball team fresh fuel for the future

The most encouraging sign for the future of Canada’s men’s basketball program in the moments after the head loss and finally heartbreaking that extended their Summer Olympics drought to five and counting took place on social media.

RJ Barrett is a young professional citizen model. He has been in the public spotlight since he was a teenager and grew up knowing firsthand the pitfalls that await those who are young, famous, reckless and with an internet connection.

While appearing as a No. 1 in the world, then in the Duke basketball star room and then in the maelstrom that is the New York Knicks, Barrett has always kept it.

It was not an easy feat.

But there was a gap on Saturday night when Barrett, his team-mates and the rest of the basketball world digested another inexplicable loss with an Olympic place on the line as Canada initially trailed by doubles to the Czech Republic, storming back in magical fashion from the bottom. nine with 44 seconds to play to force extra time and then fail to hold on five with the ball and two minutes to play in stoppage time.

The Czech’s basket of victory came with a swerving prayer and while Canada’s wide-open 12-foot shot at the buzzer twirled after half-way caught the spirit of it all.

If there’s a metaphorical equivalent of a goat needing to be sacrificed to FIBA’s Swiss Gods in order for Canada’s fortunes to be changed, someone needs to ask.

It was more than a tough defeat. It was a kick to the ribs from a program that has been brought to its knees almost too many times to count.

Emotions get hot. Barrett – who was fantastic from start to finish in the semifinals and possibly Canada’s best player in the entire Olympic Qualifying Tournament – chased the referee crew in the tunnel after the horn, clearly in a boundary rage, flicked a finger.

And then, on his Twitter account, the 21-year-old hit back at the criticism.

He is measured in his responses, but the message is clear: just look at me; I’ll put those words down your throat.

And if you love Canadian basketball and you want to see men’s programs earn a spot on the international stage commensurate with the talent this country has, you’ve got to love it.

Because the only thing that will allow Canada to break through internationally is: pride in the jersey and a bloody passion to prove those who don’t believe are wrong.

Because Canada has players. Everyone knows that. Czech star Tomas Satoransky didn’t blow smoke when he said before the event started that — on paper — Canada were probably the second best team in the world.

What is needed if they are to make the Olympics in 2024 and beyond is for the most important players in the program to find a way to make Canada’s performance internationally as high on their agenda as the rest of their professional obligations or — at least — have the national team in sight when planning how fulfill these obligations.

They will need to commit to playing in the World Cup and several qualifying windows before the World Cup to gain the mileage needed to be roadworthy in a make-or-break game like the one in Victoria this weekend.

Because the margins in international basketball are much smaller than most people realize. Team USA was overwhelmed with its NBA talent, but even with a complete roster of star players or almost all stars at the World Cup in China in 2019, they finished seventh.

Meanwhile, teams like Germany, Italy, and Slovenia — all with minimal NBA representation — were able to qualify in another OQT over the weekend and earn a spot in Tokyo.

It’s an honor and a privilege to wear red and white again

Even though we didn’t reach our ultimate goal, there’s no doubt that @canadabasketball is heading in the right direction @Canada https://t.co/EJpxOjvZhg

— andrew wiggins (@22wiggins) 4th July 2021

There will always be room for optimism with Canadian basketball as it seems safe to assume that there will always be a channel of quality talent.

Even as the senior team crashed out in Victoria, the U19s – featuring as many as five potential first-round NBA draft picks starting in 2022 – improved at the World Championships in Latvia.

The 2021 NBA class isn’t considered particularly strong from a Canadian perspective, but now it looks like Canada may have another two first rounds in July in AJ Lawson and Josh Primo.

But the mens program will go up or down based on the commitment and passion of their best players.

That’s the secret on the women’s side, where they are headed to their third consecutive Olympics as the likes of Kim Gaucher, Miranda Ayim, and Nat Achonwa have been on the program a decade or so and before that players like Shona Thorburn, Tamara Tatham and Lizanne Murphy made a point of spending years elevating him from international musings to where he is today, ranked fourth in the world heading to Tokyo.

That’s why it’s important that Barrett was furious after honking the horn and couldn’t get away from his phone when the trolls started coming in.

Barrett will be in his prime for three more Olympic cycles, potentially

Does he seem like he’s going to drop out before he gets the chance to represent Canada on the biggest stage like his father and godfather, Steve Nash? I don’t think so.

Will he ignore the lessons learned here in Victoria? I highly doubt it.

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Or what about Nickeil Alexander-Walker? He came into the tournament smoking from the moment he hit the floor and playing all-in and fearlessly until the last horn. He is only 22 years old. Hopefully his 22-year-old cousin, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander—treating a foot injury at home—is watching and thinks I want him. Jamal Murray, out with an ACL tear, is 24 years old.

Luguentz Dort is 22 years old and is proving to be playing as competitively for Canada as he did when he terrorized opponents for the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The prodigy he revealed to even have the chance to play for Canada after most of the rumors for most of his rise as a youth player from northern Montreal was genuine, refreshing. The hope now is that by tasting it, it will be even more hungry.

This is not to mention the efforts of longtime contributors Dwight Powell or Cory Joseph or Andrew Nicholson or Aaron Doornekamp.

They deserve a break despite their years of chasing.

And who knows, if their longtime partner(er)heads Kelly Olynyk or Khem Birch aren’t on contract year, maybe it will come this summer.

But there’s no choice but to look ahead now and if RJ Barrett is insane and Nickel Alexander-Walker is devastated and Luguentz Dort wants more, the future of Canadian basketball may still be burning bright.

Let anger be the fuel.