https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/live-blogs/nba-free-agency-2026-live-updates-signings-trades-rumors-grades/D9IEQTcUUsjD/

Canada Basketball has announced that NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will be among those playing for Canada this coming weekend in a FIBA Americas qualification window.

Atlanta’s Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Phoenix’s Dillon Brooks, Indiana’s Andrew Nembhard and Dallas’s Ryan Nembhard are among those who will play in the window.

Several players are with the team but won’t play, including Luguentz Dort, Bennedict Mathurin, RJ Barrett, Zach Edey, Dwight Powell and Kelly Olynyk.

DarthLowry | Raptors

96 | 4 hours ago

Full attendance and healthy, Canada has an insane team

pskill43 | Raptors

38 | 4 hours ago

With Edey healthy they would finally have the front court that they were missing before. On paper that team is the second best in the world

TitanTigers | Grizzlies

-2 | 3 hours ago

There is next to no chance the grizzlies will let Edey play for Canada until he puts multiple healthy seasons together. Would be moronic

yeahright17 | Thunder

23 | 3 hours ago

As long as insurance can be obtained, NBA teams aren’t allowed to prevent their players from playing for their national teams. Edey’s contract isn’t that big, so I doubt insurance would be an issue.

deleted-user | Raptors

1 | 2 hours ago

Didn’t the Warriors stop Andrew Wiggins from joining the Olympic team a couple years ago?

yeahright17 | Thunder

5 | 2 hours ago

Teams can absolutely pressure players not to play or use any variety of methods to push against it. But players still have the right to play and their contracts must be fully honored if they do. That said, Warriors could have said something like “if you play and get hurt, we’re going to bench you indefinitely and take the first offer to get you off the team. If you don’t play, we’ll work to find you a new team that you’re happy with.” Then when Wiggins doesn’t play, Wiggins can be like “they wouldn’t let me” and the team can be like “it was mutual.” Neither are necessarily wrong.

TitanTigers | Grizzlies

1 | 2 hours ago

They can’t officially, but everyone knows they do. Hell, we already did it with Edey once

MrBigWaffles | Lakers

19 | 4 hours ago

Center depth is still an issue but I think Canada has the second best team in the world right now.

‘They just need to give some C list big man a canadian citizenship, like Luka did for Hayes.

TatersTot | PHI

11 | 4 hours ago

If the Raptors could find a decent center, they should grant them Canadian citizenship for the national team

pskill43 | Raptors

8 | 3 hours ago

I think they should do it with Pascal Siakam. It’s not like he’s suiting up for team Cameron anyway

VladimirPutain1 | Timberwolves

12 | 4 hours ago

On paper this on paper that, next big tournament Germany and/or France will still probably be better

forsuredudelol | Knicks

1 | 3 hours ago

They aren’t as good as France or Germany or Serbia

MrBigWaffles | Lakers

1 | 3 hours ago

I disagree, they’re better than all those teams but we’ll see

forsuredudelol | Knicks

1 | 3 hours ago

They don’t play like it when it matters then, at least

ModernPoultry | Gran Destino

1 | an hour ago

That’s not wrong but a lot of it usually comes down to Canada basketball politics and injuries. Canada almost never has all their best players for FIBA/Olympic ball

ExleyPearce | LAL

1 | 2 hours ago

Get ready to learn Québécois, Jay Huff

crimxona | Canada

67 | 4 hours ago

This window is in SGA hometown of Hamilton so that’s why he’s repping this time

https://www.tdcoliseum.com/events/detail/fibaja26

KingRonMark | Thunder

11 | 2 hours ago

Doesn’t he rep them anyway as long as he’s free? He missed 2022 FIBA games because his foot was injured but he was in the world cup in 2023 and played in the 2024 Olympics

crimxona | Canada

11 | 2 hours ago

Since the FIBA world Cup 2027 is in Qatar I’m actually pretty worried about how many players will opt out depending on geopolitical status at that point

AlternativeAward | Serbia

5 | an hour ago

I’m wondering how many players will star in a qatar airways ad, not connected at all with their world cup appearance ofc

Saucy_Totchie | Knicks

2 | 2 hours ago

They wont opt out.

Uhhhjayyy1

61 | 4 hours ago

Captain Canada

Sijols | Knicks

23 | 3 hours ago

best canadian player of all time

he’s so cool, I love SGA

MikeDCollector | Thunder

13 | 4 hours ago

All they need now is a competent big man.

onionnurve | 76ers

4 | 3 hours ago

I feel like this is what 50% of the FIBA teams are missing lol

sanjit8103 | Nuggets

3 | an hour ago

France took them all

MikeDCollector | Thunder

1 | an hour ago

They should naturalize Kornett or someone decent enough to have a center depth on their roster.

anonymoususer6407 | Rockets

1 | an hour ago

Zach edey

CyberDunk77 | Mavericks

7 | 4 hours ago

is this going to be available for broadcast?

Safe-Union-4600 | Raptors

8 | 4 hours ago

noo why rj not playing

Domainsetter

13 | 4 hours ago

Idk. But Dort is a pending trade/free agent, Mathurin RFA and Kelly/Dwight UFAs.

Safe-Union-4600 | Raptors

1 | 31 minutes ago

yeah idc abt watching dort so its fine

marejaneblunt

2 | 2 hours ago

Injury risk

RedHammer1441

7 | 3 hours ago

Bought courtside tix as soon as they opened in hopes some of these guys would play. They were dirt cheap compared to an NBA game and I’m pumped now.

theyoloGod | Tampa Bay Raptors

6 | 3 hours ago

If shai can commit, no real excuse for anyone healthy

DeJohnTrae | Hawks

5 | 4 hours ago

still dont get why Murray didn’t commit?

Historical_Wind_9390

28 | 4 hours ago

Canada has a 3 year commitment rule and he didn’t want to commit to that. He was also atrocious for Canada in the 2024 olympics

theyoloGod | Tampa Bay Raptors

2 | 3 hours ago

To be fair to him, it was well known he was still recovering from injury at the time

Historical_Wind_9390

2 | 2 hours ago

I love Murray I’m just saying he wasn’t effective like we know he can be

MrKalyoncu |

-5 | 3 hours ago

Wtf is a 3 year commitment rule? You HAVE TO join for 3 years no matter what excuse? What are they gonna do if I dont join? Kick out of citizenship?

roastedhambone | Thunder

5 | 3 hours ago

No, they just aren’t going to have you on the team.

Historical_Wind_9390

5 | 2 hours ago

Brother why you angry at me? I didn’t make up this rule lol

[deleted]

4 | 4 hours ago

[deleted]

Historical_Wind_9390

11 | 4 hours ago

Wiggins is a bitch and hates playing for Canada

anonymoususer6407 | Rockets

3 | 3 hours ago

He would look so good in a Raptors jersey

nyafunya | NBA

2 | 3 hours ago

Edey still not playing man, fuck

Troll_Enthusiast | Wizards

2 | 3 hours ago

Forgot that Kyshawn George is playing

Snafudumonde | Pacers

1 | 4 hours ago

2024: Nembhard 2028: Nembharder

Familiar-Mix3546 | Thunder

1 | 3 hours ago

Anyone know how we can watch these games in the US?

Flashy-Flatworm-1389

1 | 2 hours ago

No Shaedon Sharpe??

Saucy_Totchie | Knicks

1 | an hour ago

The issue with Canada is that they’re pretty thin with their bigs rotation. To my knowledge, Edey and Powell are injured so they can’t participate. I’m not sure why Olynyk isnt there unless he’s not contracted anymore and not want to risk getting hurt like Dort or Mathurin.

BegsTheQuestions

1 | 28 minutes ago

Dirtbag dort is Canadian?

Terrible_Locksmith | Raptors

0 | 4 hours ago

Wtf I love SGA now?

ShortEquivalent4576

43 | 4 hours ago

any canadian who doesnt love shai already is just weird

Sijols | Knicks

12 | 3 hours ago

shai is the GOAT of canadian basketball

boybraden | Thunder

0 | 4 hours ago

Going to be awkward when Dort is traded while he’s with SGA

Either_Imagination_9 | Knicks

-1 | 4 hours ago

BLAME CANADA

Odoaiden | Timberwolves

-7 | 4 hours ago

Doesn’t Shai historically play way worse in Fiba rules

osj777 | Thunder

13 | 4 hours ago

He played great in the Olympics

[Koreen] Canada Basketball has announced that NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will be among those playing for Canada this coming weekend (along with NAW, Brooks, Nembhard brothers)… Several players are with the team but won’t play, including Dort, Mathurin, Barrett, Edey, Powell, Olynyk