And-Ones: Workforce Canada, D. Smith, 2025 Draft, Kendrick

Canadian athletes are nonetheless coping with the frustration of not successful a medal at this 12 months’s Summer season Olympics Michael Grange of Sportsnet. That includes a roster full of NBA expertise, Workforce Canada had the chance to achieve a serious milestone for the nation’s basketball program. As a substitute, they left Paris empty-handed after realizing their subsequent alternative was nonetheless 4 lengthy years away.

“It is completely different as soon as it is over and also you understand you are not going to be in that place, you are not going to have an opportunity for an additional 4 years.” R. J. Barrett He stated. “That is a troublesome a part of it, particularly once we felt like we had a group that had an incredible combine. I feel we had younger guys, however not rookies, you realize, and we had guys who had been of their prime or near their prime, and we had some vets who had been nonetheless of their prime.” A very good stage of their profession. We had the expertise, we had the expertise, we had the coach. We felt that this was our time, however I feel that have and this sort of championship is big.

The Canadians seemed like a professional menace for the gold medal after going undefeated in pool play in opposition to Greece, Australia and Spain, who had been all seen as medal contenders. However their hopes ended rapidly with an 82-73 loss to France within the quarter-finals. Grange factors out that Canada was capable of take management Victor Wimbanyamaholding him to seven factors on 2-of-10 taking pictures with Dillon Brooks Guarded him for a lot of the sport, nonetheless Gershon Yabusili and Mathias Lesort He led the hosts by combining for 35 factors.

“Yearly, I get an opportunity to win an NBA championship.” Shai Gilgeous-Alexander He stated, “(Nevertheless it’s simply) each 4 years I get an opportunity to attempt to win the Olympics, you realize?”

There’s extra from across the basketball world:

• when Dennis Smith Jr He entered the G League participant pool, anticipating to be claimed Tottenhamsays Mark Stein in his newest work Substack column (Subscription required). As a substitute, he ended up with Bucks“, making his future within the G League much less sure, sources advised Stein. Actual Madrid are stated to have curiosity if Smith needs to play within the EuroLeague.
• Dylan Harper and Ace Billy They’re making an impression at Rutgers, however NBA executives and draft specialists have talked to them Adam Zagoria of NJ.com Duke is correct Cooper Flag He is nonetheless very more likely to be the highest choose in 2025.
• Frank Kendrickwho was a part of the championship group with Warriors Throughout his solely NBA season, he died this week on the age of 74, the group introduced.Via Twitter). Kendrick additionally gained an NIT title at Purdue College and was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Corridor of Fame in 2002.