Sacramento Kings Assistant Coach Loses Key Star Player for Team Canada

A successful season saw Sacramento Kings assistant coach Jordi Fernández interview for head coaching positions with numerous teams this past summer, such as the Phoenix Suns and the Toronto Raptors.

Despite losing out on the Suns' coaching position in the final round of interviews, Fernández still found a coaching opportunity after he took on an additional role as head coach of the Candian Men's Basketball Team, replacing Nick Nurse.

After a long summer of practicing for the upcoming FIBA World Cup, it was announced Wednesday that G Jamal Murray of the Denver Nuggets will miss the tournament to continue recovery after a championship-winning season.

Jamal Murray to miss the FIBA Men’s Basketball World Cup.

Read more: https://t.co/2tDNktebOD #FIBAWC #WinForCanada pic.twitter.com/hj8KdFw2ET
— Canada Basketball (@CanBball) August 16, 2023

In a statement released by Team Canada, Murray said the following:

"When I came into training camp, I wanted to see how my body would respond after a long and demanding season... In consultation with medical staff and the team, it is clear that additional recovery is required, and I have made the difficult decision to not participate in the tournament."

While the NBA season concluded over two months ago, Murray still needs time to recover given his struggle with injuries. Murray returned to play with the Nuggets after an ACL tear kept him sidelined for 18 months.

Murray had a stellar season and a superstar-level playoff performance where he averaged 26.1 points, 7.1 assists, and 5.7 rebounds during the 20-game run. The Nuggets dominantly won the 2022-23 NBA Championship behind domination from two-time MVP C Nikola Jokić, but it would not have been possible without Murray's superb play and numerous 30+ point games.

While Team USA is obviously favored heading into the FIBA World Cup, Team Canada still has a strong roster to compete with them. Fernández will need to make adjustments, but a strong performance is very possible.

You can watch Team Canada kickoff their play in the FIBA World Cup next Friday, August 25, as they take on France at 6:30 a.m. PT.

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