Paul Jones

Paul Jones is the voice of the Raptors on the FAN 590 and writes regularly for Sportsnet.ca.

If you are a basketball fan in Canada, the big news on Tuesday was finding out who the national team will play when the world championships tip off next year in Turkey. Well, it's not great but hey, at least they're in it and that's more than you can say about Canada the last time one of these tournaments took place.

Canada will have its hands full as they sit in a group with Spain, France, Lithuania, New Zealand and Lebanon. The top four will advance so let's put it this way -- with Spain and France ranked in the world's top five, Canada is fighting for one of the two remaining spots. One of the adversaries will be Lithuania, who as a small nation, takes its hoops about as seriously as Canada takes hockey -- enough said. The USA is in Group B with Croatia, Brazil, Slovenia, Tunisia and Iran.

But as tough as it might appear for Canada, remember they are one of only five countries in the world that has seen all four of its teams (men and women at both the junior and senior levels) qualify for the next world championships. So they have overcome huge obstacles before.

The success and resurgence of hoops in Canada has spurred on a bid for the 2011 Tournament of the Americas Olympic qualifier to be held on Canadian soil. The finalists would automatically qualify for the 2012 Olympics in London, England. The last time any significant senior tournament was held on Canadian soil was the 1994 World Championships that were centered in southern Ontario. It was a last minute sort of deal due to civil war in the country that at the time was known as Yugoslavia.

That 1994 tournament also happened to be the last time that the United States won the world championship. They will no doubt have a good chance to win it this summer which means they would be exempt from participating in the next Tournament of the Americas. But there are whispers that should the US win the world title they would play in the next Tournament of the Americas if it were to be held in Canada. How's that for "the true north strong and free" having the inside track on winning that bid? A chance to have Uncle Sam's powerhouse in your gym, c'mon, that should seal the bid right there.

To that end, Jerry Colangelo, the architect of the U.S.’s 2008 gold medal team in Beijing has said that he will make sure the training camp for the Team USA will take place late in the summer of 2010 before they trot off to try and conquer the world, perhaps even in September. This gives LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh et al a chance to make sure all is set with their NBA free agency.

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With Toronto in Miami Tuesday, I spoke with former Heat guard Marcus Banks about players being out and about in Miami in what is referred to as "South Beach press". It seems to always hit visiting team in the fourth quarter, particularly in close games.

Banks talked about the veteran leaders setting the example for the team.

"We know what we're here to do," Banks said. "We can go on vacation in the summer time if the guys want to come down here. But we're here to play basketball and win games. I'm gonna make sure my guys get the proper rest, a good meal and win tomorrow and get out to the next place."

The Heat have lost two in a row and only sit at 6-7 on home court. Toronto is the third team in stretch of six straight home games for Miami and they will surely be an ornery bunch. Like Toronto after the loss in Atlanta, the Heat had a team meeting following the loss to Memphis and Wade took the Chris Bosh stance saying that he had nothing more to say. The time for talk is done and its time to perform on the floor. When reading the account, it sure sounds familiar. See for yourself.

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Birthdays are always a good thing to celebrate, right? Jarrett Jack's great grandfather -- yes great grandfather, Edward Thomas, will have a "throw down." Alright, I’m not sure if that's the right term for a man that age commemorating a birthday, but heck, when you are alive for a century and gathering family together for your 100th birthday, you can call it whatever you want.

"Papa Thomas" was born December 19, 1909 and has seen everything. When we say everything, we mean it. Thomas, who is a descendent of Cajun French speaking family started to work at the tender age of 10 and has done it all. He started as a sharecropper in the days following the end of slavery and has always been steadfast about providing for his family.

The "shin-dig" will take place on Saturday night in Louisiana, and even though Jarrett won't be there, he is still in close contact with his great grandfather. Interesting that Jack's first cousin, New York Knicks point guard Chris Duhon, will be interested to hear about the proceedings as both of them won't be able to get there because of the NBA schedule.

But Jarrett has arranged for a painting of himself with an inscription on it to be sent to his great grandfather to help celebrate the occasion.

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Hedo Turkoglu returns to Orlando this week where he had such a great run last year but even he is not sure what kind of a reaction he will get when he steps on the floor.

"I really don't know," smiled Turkoglu when asked about the kind of reception he would get. "As far as I know, I was always a fan favourite so I hope they weren't upset that I left."

"We'll see, I hope there is not a lot of crazy stuff," Turkoglu continued. When he was asked if he thought he would get a Vince-Carter-in-Toronto-type reception he broke out into laughter.

"I hope not, c'mon man, at least half cheers half boos, not the whole arena booing," he said laughing out loud.

"We (the Magic and himself) were both professional (about it)," said Turkoglu referring to his decision to take the money in Toronto where he will be paid for five years at $50 million as opposed to the three-year, $24-million dollar deal offered by the Magic.

"It's not just me, anybody would make that decision," he said in reference to the money. "It was up front about it and it's not like I did something behind their backs. I hope the fans realized that too and I get some cheers."