Why Canada is a Team to Beat in the 2024 Paris Olympics
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Canada is aiming to secure its historic campaign in the Paris Olympics with a deep push on the big stage. It has been a long time since Canada has become one of the talks of the social media world, especially in basketball, and it cannot be denied that the team has definitely left their mark so far, which is clearly a good leap towards the top of the basketball world.
Coach Jordi Fernandez has done a great job of actually putting up an impressive leadership in the game, starting with the assembly of top-notch talent that have the necessary tools to actually build on a promising squad that can actually make its way to the top of the Olympic podium for a medal finish for the first time since 1936.
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What’s at Stake for Team Canada?
Team Canada has been vying for a promising presence on the international stage, not just in basketball, but in many other sports as well. Still, it cannot be denied that the team has waited for a long time to come up with this opportunity, and one can even say that they are definitely a dark horse to look out for in the competition. Over the years, only the United States has been the team that has been able to carry its banner to the top of the basketball world when it comes to the Americas. Now that Canada has begun its resurgence among the top teams in the world, it is worth noting that the team is ready to take on a bigger picture on the international stage.
The World Cup was a promising start, and being able to finish with the bronze medal is essentially a promising feat for the team at this point. Despite not being a top team to look out for in 24 years, Canada still has this burden of being one of the top contenders in the game.
Olympic basketball is never an easy feat, and the team has to learn how to overcome the massive struggles that come in clutch moments that have a lot of pressure on many players. It is expected that the momentum they have secured from the World Cup has definitely translate into a promising victory that many fans have been waiting for.
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Can Canada Win the 2024 Paris Olympics?
Canada was already a promising team to beat in 2023, and it seems that the team is much even stronger now more than ever. This says a lot about their chances of winning in the 2024 Paris Olympics, which is definitely a golden chance for the team to come up with a historic finish. Here are some of the big reasons that I think will be a big factor in Canada’s hopes of a title.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has Emerged as a Bigger Star
Let’s not play idle here, we all know that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the top dog in Canada’s roster, and the Oklahoma City Thunder star himself has been quite the performer both in the NBA and even in the international stage. For the 2023 FIBA World Cup, SGA averaged a promising stat line of 26.3 points, 4.7 assists, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.0 steals per game. That goes along with 55.6% shooting from the field, including 47.4% from three. If we are going to compare that to his stats with his MVP campaign with the Thunder in the 2023-24 run, the OKC star averaged 30.1 points, 6.2 assists, and 5.5 rebounds on 53.5% shooting – which is a much bigger sample size of 75 games. All in all, Gilgeous-Alexander’s rise to a stardom is quite the story, and his leadership in Canada will play a huge role towards their chances of winning in the game.
Roster Has Been Upgraded from the World Cup
Eight of the 12 players from the 2023 World Cup have returned to the lineup. It can be noted that the likes of Kyle Alexander, Zach Edey, Phil Scrubb and Trae Bell-Haynes are all replaced in the squad, but it is easy to say that Canada has definitely upgraded its squad with a much more promising lineup with key role players coming into the mix. Jamal Murray, for instance, will pack additional firepower for the team’s offensive unit, and both Khem Birch and Trey Lyles bring in valuable experience on the international stage. Even playoff standout Andrew Nembhard is bringing in his offensive spark off the bench for the team, which says a lot about the big promise that Canada offers with its roster in such a competitive atmosphere.
Defensive Wingers Build a Solid Presence for Canada
Dillon Brooks, Luguentz Dort, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker all provide the necessary defensive clamps that many fans believe to be the key factor that makes Canada a strong defensive team. Let’s not forget the fact that SGA himself is a two-way star, but we are seeing a strong frontier of defensive anchors in the squad who could actually shut down a lot of elite scorers in the game, which should make Canada itself a primary brick wall in the game. Over the years, guards with defensive specialties have often been criticized for the lack of offense, but Canada’s trio of massive defenders all boast a promising upside on the offensive end as well, which says a lot about how Canada can have a lot of firepower on the floor while also having solid defenders in the game – the makings of a perfect team to begin with.
Will Experience be a Disadvantage?
Canada is a young team that has a strong potential upside, yes, but it is also worth noting that the team has been absent in the Olympic stage for almost 24 years, with their last basketball outing in the tournament being in Sydney. Still, it is worth noting that Canada has a roster that can go toe-to-toe against some of the best players in the game, and the pressure of expectations and the lack of experience may just even ignite this team’s resolve to win big in the game.
In the last 10 FIBA events, Canada has not qualified four times. However, the recent turn of events, especially in the 2023 FIBA World Cup, has certainly changed the dynamic for the team, which says a lot about how their inexperience will actually allow them to play at a free-falling pace.
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What are Canada’s Chances in the 2024 Paris Olympics?
Canada is a team to beat in the 2024 Paris Olympics, that we can all agree on. However, with a lot of teams coming in for the gold, no one should be complacent enough to see Canada as a gold winner right now. With some impressive wins and luck in the draw for the semis, maybe the Maple Leafs can actually make history in the Olympics and wave the Canadian flag at the top of the world.
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