Two world powers stand between Canada and the chance to restore some luster to the men’s basketball program.
These two historically good programs have charted a difficult path for Canada to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The Canadians will face perennial contenders for the medal France, along with Lebanon and Latvia in the opening round of the FIBA World Cup later this year.
And if Canada emerges as one of the top two in that preliminary round group – which will be played in Jakarta, Indonesia – a second-round date with the defending champions from Spain is likely to await.
It’s a tall order for the Canadian men, who haven’t finished among the top 16 in major global events since 1996 and haven’t qualified for the Olympics since Sydney 2000.
France has won bronze at each of the last two World Cups and should have a roster bolstered by seven-foot-three superstar Victor Wimpanyama, the presumptive No. 1 pick in this year’s NBA Draft.
And if Canada is knocked out in the first round, the dreaded specter of Spain awaits. The Spaniards joined a group that includes Brazil, Iran and Côte d’Ivoire – also in Jakarta. The top two from that group and Canada will meet in a second round.
Only two teams qualify from there to the last 16. So, no team from Canada, France and Spain would finish better than 17th in the 32-nation tournament from August 24 to September 10.
Not only is Canada seeking its best World Cup finish since a seventh-place finish in 1984, but it is also trying to return to the Olympics for the first time in more than two decades. To qualify directly, Canada must either win the World Championship or finish in the top two spots out of seven FIBA Americas teams at the World Cup.
Assuming first place in FIBA Americas goes to the United States, Canada would have to finish ahead of Brazil, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Dominican Republic and Mexico for a direct Olympic berth. It’s a virtual certainty that will mean a quarter-final spot at best, which makes the first two rounds all the more important.
Canada, along with former Raptors coach Nick Nurse, opens a training program in Toronto in early August and will play a series of exhibition games in Germany and Spain before heading to Indonesia.
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