OKC Thunder: Team Canada seek continuity via 3-year cycle with SGA in the core

Team USA won the gold medal once again at the Tokyo Olympics but it wasn’t an easy road to that achievement. What became abundantly clear is the European clubs have an advantage given the yearly commitment of their players resulting in the constancy of the roster. The OKC Thunder squad had a few representatives in Tokyo but none on Team USA.

In fact, there was expected to be a much larger contingent in Tokyo specifically from the Canadian team. Both Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luguentz Dort were expected to play for the Canadian team but SGA was still sidelined recovering from plantar fasciitis.

That meant he had to pass on participating in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament. Similarly,  other Canadians weren’t available either due to lingering injury (like Jamal Murray) or playoff fatigue or looming free agency. That group represented a long list including Dillon Brooks, Tristan Thompson, Brandon Clarke, Kelly Olynyk, Oshae Brissett, and Khem Birch.

Teammate Lu Dort, SGA’s cousin Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Andrew Wiggins, RJ Barrett, and Dwight Powell were the core group who tried to get the spot in Tokyo and lost a heartbreaker in overtime.

Canada seeks constancy with OKC Thunder stars SGA and Dort in the mix

Because of the pandemic, the 2020 Olympics were postponed a year which means a quicker three-year turnaround. Those 2024 games will occur in Paris which has many NBA talents excited about participating. Team Canada is jumping into action with many of the brain trust in Vegas to hold meetings during Summer League.

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Team Canada announced Raptors head coach Nick Nurse has signed on through 2024 yesterday. The belief is the meetings occurring in Vegas are about getting a commitment from Canadian players also to the three-year cycle.

"In an open letter to supporters of Canada Basketball and the Senior Men’s National Team, Nurse outlined a three-year commitment between now and Paris 2024 and the importance of chemistry, camaraderie and continuity."

That would mean giving up three summers in all as they build the program hoping for success at the annual FIBA Basketball tournament and culminating in Paris vying for a medal.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is also in Vegas and is one of the players Nurse is keen to have as part of the core. Following a Raptors Summer League game a local show here in Canada noted SGA had met with Rowan Barrett Sr, Nurse, and other Canadian NBA stars as the team put their three-year plan into action.

Although the broadcasters didn’t mention Dort, knowing how Nurse covets defense as a priority and having witnessed how he effused about the Thunder defender this summer odds are he’s another player the coach will want as part of the core.