Jamal Murray is on Canada’s elite roster for Olympic training camp
Jun 19, 2024, 1:57 PM | Updated: 2:22 pm
Team Canada will have a real shot at medals at the 2024 Olympics in Paris this summer, announcing a training camp roster on Wednesday that is loaded with NBA players, and among them is Denver Nuggets star Jamal Murray.
But this might not be the Blue Arrow’s squad with Oklahoma City’s starting backcourt led by MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander also on the roster. Then there’s his cousin and defensive standout Nickeil Alexander-Walker, plus another defensive maestro in Dillon Brooks and young Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard all in the Great White North’s backcourt.
The full roster is below, which also has NBAers Kyle Anderson, RJ Barrett, Trey Lyles, Kelly Olynyk, Dwight Powell and Andrew Wiggins. Plus former NBAer Khem Birch and two-time college basketball National Player of the Year Zach Edey.
Our 20 🍁👊 https://t.co/0QqO494zqa pic.twitter.com/JWlorv19HG
— Canada Basketball (@CanBball) June 19, 2024
Murray bailed on last year’s Canadian World Cup team, citing fatigue post-Nuggets championship run. His countrymates beat Team USA for the bronze medal in that 2023 tournament.
“While winning bronze at the World Cup last summer was an important first step for our team, it also showed that we still have work to do as a group,” said former Nuggets assistant coach and head coach of Team Canada Jordi Fernandez in a news release. “If you ask anyone within our team and program, we have a constant drive to improve and will work tirelessly throughout training camp and our exhibition schedule to fully prepare to achieve our ultimate goal at the Paris Olympics.”
Team Canada will begin training on June 28 in Toronto with an exhibition against Team USA in Las Vegas on July 10. Then they head overseas for more practice games in late July against France and of the Puerto Rico qualifier.
Canada begins their games with a contest against the winner of the Greece Olympic Qualifying Tournament on July 27. They can carry 12 players on their roster for the tournament and it’s widely expected Murray will be a part of the team if he stays with the team this summer.
The 2024 games are Canada’s first appearance in the Men’s Hoops tournament since the 2000 games, and they’ll look to get a second-ever medal, joining their 1936 squad.
Murray will be joined by fellow Nuggets Nikola Jokic for Serbia and Vlatko Cancar for Slovenia as participants in Paris.
