If the tall Canadian men who have stuffed themselves into coach seats and sprinted through airports for yet another connection to play basketball in far-off lands for little reward ever wondered if their efforts have been noted, they need not.
It is because of them that Canada will be playing in the FIBA Basketball World Cup this September, and those that will be going are deeply appreciative of those who grinded through the lengthy qualifying process to get them there and yet may not make the final roster.
“We got to tip our hats to every single last one of those guys that played, man,” says Cory Joseph, whose duties with the Indiana Pacers have prevented him – along with the rest of Canada’s NBA talent – from playing in most of the qualifying games. “… who knows what the team will look like for the next step but for everyone involved in getting us there, you can’t overlook that. I don’t want that to be overlooked by anybody, because those guys deserve a pat on the back, for sure.”
‘Those guys’ are the pool of senior men’s national team players that aren’t in the NBA or the EuroLeague and who have formed the backbone of Canada’s qualifying effort, even though only a handful of them will likely play in the World Cup or the 2020 Olympics – for which Canada can earn its first berth since 2000 with a top-7 finish in China.
This weekend in St. John’s, N.L., marks the end of the 18-month journey just to get to the starting line.
The primary task has already been completed: a dramatic win over Brazil in Sao Paulo on Dec. 3 secured Canada’s spot in the World Cup for the first time since 2010. Wins Thursday night at Mile One Centre over Chile and against Venezuela on Sunday would guarantee Canada [8-2] first place in its pool.
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Brady Heslip – the Burlington, Ont.,-based pro who is playing in Istanbul at the moment – is the only Canadian who will have played in all 12 games, but his commitment is a reflection of a group that has gone all-in without any guarantees.
“The whole goal was to qualify and that’s what we’ve accomplished, so I thought it was the right thing to come and finish it out and play all the games,” the sharpshooter said by phone from St. John’s. “I don’t know what the future will be like, but every time I get to play [for Canada] I cherish it, so I’m thinking about that and not thinking about the future.”
Playing international basketball successfully requires sacrifice and accommodation. The competition comes in short, intense bursts so there is little time to sort out roles or massage egos.
The teams that figure out how to pull on the same rope the fastest are the ones with the best chance to achieve their potential.
And while FIBA’s new qualifying format – a soccer-style series of ‘windows’ that replaced the summer tournament model of the past – has drawn its share of critics, for Canada the payoff could be a clear culture taking root.
Those that have played in the bulk of the qualifiers – NBA players were available for only two of the six windows – have done so with no promise of a payoff, while those that are most likely to be on the World Cup roster know that they will only have the chance because of the efforts of those that came before them.
It’s a unifying message: Flag before self.
“That’s the definition of taking pride in being Canadian,” said Dallas Mavericks forward and national team veteran Dwight Powell, who is hungry to play in China but could only watch online as the likes of Heslip and others secured the spot with their win over Brazil. “…. [it] just gives every single person that much more to fight for … knowing that there was a guy in their position in the same jersey that was fighting for all those same things but doesn’t get the chance to make it to that last stage just because the numbers don’t work out – I think we all have that in the back of our minds.”
The likes of Heslip and Melvin Ejim and Joel Anthony and Phil and Thomas Scrubb – the core of the group who has done most of the heavy lifting for Roy Rana, who has coached the squad when national team head coach Jay Triano has been unavailable due to his role with the Charlotte Hornets – aren’t doing it for any tangible reward.
They’re doing it for the love of the flag and hoops and their brethren.
“The people associated with the program do a good job of reminding us that we sacrifice a lot with travel and time away from our [European club] teams,” says Heslip. “But I think that everyone is proud to do it and happy to do it. It’s an honour and everyone that’s here and everyone that has played in the windows, we’re all part of one family. It’s been great to go to all these difference places and play basketball and make memories.”
And earn respect:
“You’re just appreciative of what those guys did and the opportunity they’ve given us,” says Joseph. “The players that were there, they did a great job. I watched. They played extremely hard, they made Canada proud; very proud.”