4 former Gonzaga stars named to Team Canada player pool

Mark Few and the Gonzaga Bulldogs have one of the most successful Canadian pipelines in all of college basketball, with many of the program's highest performers coming from the Great White North.

Canada basketball has become a true powerhouse internationally as well, threatening to earn a medal in the 2024 Paris Olympics and looking to once again be a major player on the international circuit leading up to the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

While Oklahoma City guard and two-time NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the catalyst for Team Canada, there are quite a few former Zags in the mix for a spot on the 2028 roster.

Canada recently released the Summer 2026 Athlete Pool - a group of 23 athletes who will compete for the Senior Men's National Team ahead of Windows 3 and 4 of the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers in 2027.

Four of those 23 players played at Gonzaga - San Antonio Spurs forward Kelly Olynyk, Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard, Dallas Mavericks guard and Andrew's brother Ryan Nembhard, and Reyer Venezia forward Kyle Wiltjer.

SUMMER STARTS NOW. 🍁

Canada Basketball’s Summer 2026 Athlete Pool is here and the road to Hamilton and Québec City starts now.

🎟️: https://t.co/oxN10quCuW pic.twitter.com/DYlxwe3P0M
— Canada Basketball (@CanBball) June 1, 2026

Olynyk and Andrew Nembhard both represented Canada at the 2024 Olympics, with Nembhard averaging 6.3 points and 1.3 assists while Olynyk - named Team Captain - averaged 1.4 points and 2.0 rebounds.

Ryan did not make the Olympic team but, like his brother, does have experience representing Canada on the world stage. He was on the FIBA U19 team in 2021, where he averaged a whopping 15.1 points and 6.7 assists in seven games. He was also on the U16 team in 2018, posting 14.3 points and 9.0 assists.

Wiltjer was on Canada's AmeriCup team in 2025, averaging 8.7 points and 3.5 assists in six games. He's been part of Canada basketball since 2010, serving as one of the country's most loyal contributors over the past 15 years.

Gonzaga also rostered Kevin Pangos, who represented Canada at the 2023 FIBA World Cup qualifiers, as well as fellow Canadians Brandon Clarke, Mangisto Arop, and Bol Kong.

Canada will be anchored by SGA and Nembhard in the backcourt, while getting key contributions from NBA stars Dillon Brooks, RJ Barrett, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Lu Dort, Benn Mathurin, Will Riley, and Kyshawn George.

Canada is currently fifth in the latest FIBA world rankings, and will open up Window 3 at TD Coliseum in Ontario on July 3 against Puerto Rico, before taking on Jamaica on July 6.

Gonzaga will very likely have other former or current players representing their home countries, with candidates that include Rui Hachimura (Japan), Filip Petrusev (Serbia), Domantas Sabonis (Lithuania), Angel Nunez (Dominican Republic), and Chet Holmgren (USA), among others.

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