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Andrew Wiggins Commits to Play for Team Canada in 2021

Andrew Wiggins announces he will play for the Canadian men's national team in 2021
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

It appears as though the Canadian men's national basketball team just landed a commitment from another NBA star.

For the first time since the 2015 FIBA AmeriCup Tournament, Andrew Wiggins will dawn the Canadian red and white this summer and play for the national team and head coach Nick Nurse at the FIBA Olympic Qualifiers in Victoria, BC.

The 26-year-old wing is coming off a 2020-21 campaign with the Golden State Warriors in which he averaged 18.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and shot a career-best 38% from behind the arc. It was the most efficient offensive season of his career and thanks to a Warriors play-in tournament loss the former first-overall selection in the 2014 NBA Draft will be available to play for Canada next month.

Wiggins has long been the white whale for Canada Basketball. Growing up he played for the junior team as a U18 and U17 player but had been reluctant to play for the men's team during international competition. His commitment to the team this season should be a big boost for Canada who has to win the qualifying tournament in order to earn a spot at the Tokyo games in July.

The qualifiers will start on June 29 and run through July 4. Canada is in Group A along with China and Greece.

Further Reading

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Masai Ujiri wants a long-term commitment to success in his next contract

Kyle Lowry explains what's driving his free agency decision & Toronto might not fit that description


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Aaron Rose
AARON ROSE

Aaron Rose is a Toronto-based reporter covering the Toronto Raptors since 2020. Previously, Aaron worked for the Eau Claire Leader-Telegram.

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