Nick Nurse believes he can play a bigger role in building CanadaB次元官网网址檚 basketball team.
Nurse was still soaking up the heady experience of the Toronto RaptorsB次元官网网址� historic NBA championship run when he was named head coach of the Canadian team in June, and tasked with securing an Olympic berth for the first time in what will be 20 years.
He had no idea heB次元官网网址檇 have to do it with one hand tied behind his back.
B次元官网网址淲hen I considered (the job) I thought there would be a majority of NBA guys playing, which I thought made sense as an NBA coach to have an NBA guy coaching them,B次元官网网址� Nurse said on Wednesday.
CanadaB次元官网网址檚 hopes of advancing in the FIBA World Cup died Tuesday night with a loss to Lithuania. The 0-2 team has one more preliminary-round game against Senegal B次元官网网址� also 0-2 B次元官网网址� on Thursday before flying to Shanghai for two important classification games to secure a spot in a second-chance Olympic qualifying tournament.
And if Canada does earn a second-chance berth? WhoB次元官网网址檒l show up to play?
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B次元官网网址淚 think that no matter what we do, and Steve (Nash) mentioned this years ago, in the end, this is the playersB次元官网网址� program,B次元官网网址� said Rowan Barrett, Canada BasketballB次元官网网址檚 general manager. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 their program, and so if we want to win, ultimately itB次元官网网址檚 going to come on the backs of the players.B次元官网网址�
Nurse said he intends on playing a bigger recruiting role. It was tough this time around, he said, because he had his hands full with the RaptorsB次元官网网址� lengthy season.
B次元官网网址淚 think I have got to try and develop some relationships with some of these guys and see where they are at,B次元官网网址� Nurse said after practice. B次元官网网址滲ut I need more information. I need a better understanding of why or why not? Will they or will they not participate, and why or why not?B次元官网网址�
Canadian basketball has been basking in a rare spotlight recently. Canada was applauded for just qualifying for the World Cup, a Herculean effort that required a revolving-door roster of some 36 players. Then the Raptors brought the Larry OB次元官网网址橞rien Trophy north of the border. And with the explosion of Canadian talent in the NBA, the mood was ripe for a strong national team showing. Finally.
Canada Basketball took expectations to another level by inviting 17 NBA players, plus a crop of savvy international pros, to camp. But in the end only Cory Joseph and Khem Birch showed up from the NBA group, reducing CanadaB次元官网网址檚 chances of advancing out of the tournamentB次元官网网址檚 toughest draw to a sliver.
During TuesdayB次元官网网址檚 blowout loss to Lithuania, fans surely wondered how much Canada could have benefited from Tristan Thompson or Dwight Powell or Kelly Olynyk B次元官网网址� who intended to play here before getting injured in an exhibition game B次元官网网址� banging down low against Jonas Valanciunas and Domantas Sabonis?
B次元官网网址淲e want to go back and revisit it with each player, and again each one is different,B次元官网网址� said Canada Basketball CEO Glen Grunwald. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e got to respect each person in terms of whatB次元官网网址檚 going on in their career or their life, but at the same time, weB次元官网网址檝e got to figure out how we can fit in better with their life and their career.B次元官网网址�
Grunwald mentioned revisiting the preparation phase. This summer required a six-week commitment from players, including a trip to Australia for five exhibition games before another long flight to China. He said they might consider keeping players together at home longer. Perhaps play more games in Canada.
Lori Ewing, The Canadian Press
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