Andrew Nembhard receives invite for Team Canada's Olympic training camp
Andrew Nembhard is one step closer to representing his home Canada on the world’s biggest stage in the 2024 Olympic Games.
According to ESPN’s Mark Jones, Nembhard will take part in Team Canada’s training camp this summer in preparation for the Paris Games in August. The former Gonzaga standout will compete for a spot on the 12-man roster against Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, RJ Barrett, Jamal Murray and ex-Zag Kelly Olynyk among others. Mel Ejim, the older brother to Gonzaga women’s basketball star Yvonne Ejim, is also in consideration to represent Canada.
Nembhard received an invitation to join the men’s national team training camp after he “expressed excitement” in representing his home country to head coach Jordi Fernandez, who recently took the Brooklyn Nets coaching job. Fernandez helped Team Canada qualify for its first Olympic Games in over two decades after the Canadians took home the bronze medal at the 2023 FIBA World Cup last summer. Nembhard wasn’t with the team then, though there’s still a chance he makes the historic trip to Paris.
Nembhard suited up with the senior national team at the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup. He appeared in five games, averaging 2.8 points and 2.4 assists in those appearances. The year prior, he helped the youth national team to a silver medal finish at the FIBA U18 Americas Championships with 15.7 points and 8.8 assists per game.
Nembhard is in the thick of his first playoff series with the Indiana Pacers. In just his second postseason game, he dropped 20 points, grabbed four rebounds, dished out three assists and shot 8-for-11 from the field in a 125-108 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks. All-NBA guard Damian Lillard has given Nembhard all he can handle on the defensive end, though resiliency and toughness from the second-year pro helped his team steal homecourt advantage with the series tied 1-1.
Nembhard, who’s started every game since Feb. 4, is averaging 9.2 points and 4.1 assists while shooting 49.8% from the field and 35.7% from downtown.
COLE FORSMAN
Cole Forsman is a reporter for Gonzaga Nation, a member of Sports Illustrated’s FanNation network. Cole holds a degree in Journalism and Sports Management from Gonzaga University.