Anthony Bennett: "In Canada, basketball isn't too big."

[DoNDaDDa]

i got family in brampton & there is by far more kids with basketball nets up playing in the streets then hockey..wont be long before basketball is more popular with the majority of the population in the GTA..

[DoNDaDDa]

Well that kid grew up in brampton at the wrong time. There are lots and i mean lots of african americans in Brampton and a lot of them play ball. In the next few years we will see many players come out of Canada. I grew up there but i moved to Burlington a couple of years back

basketball has become the most played sport among the east indian kids in brampton aswell... its all i ever seen them do

[akashsingh]

immigrants/middle to low income families can't afford to like hockey.......not to mention there is the risk of becoming concussed every time you step out on the ice.

brampton and sauga are basketball crazy!!

[draftedraptor]

Interest in basketball is quite high in BC and Ontario. As for the rest of them, they prefer their beer, hockey and football

[WJF]

Interest in basketball is quite high in BC and Ontario. As for the rest of them, they prefer their beer, hockey and football

Pure Ignorance! I am from Ontario, and yes basketball is popular there...but, if you follow the sport across the country and see what provinces do well at Nationals and what areas have solid followings for their college and University programs you would add many a province to that list. The basketball in Nova Scotia is great, second to none. Quebec has produced many solid players and is always a force in U17 competitions. Alberta produces a steady stream of quality and Saskatchewan and Manitoba are making big strides. You may want to get out and take a look before you make such a blanket statement.

[Papa Burgundy]

Having more games televised will continue to be huge moving forward.

When I was in grade school I was in a basketball league, played for the school team, etc ... but it wasn't until national television started carrying more and more Raps and Griz games that I became a fanatic.

In general, basketball in my area of NS is arguably the most popular sport ... nets everywhere ... competitive leagues from mini ball, right up to 'old men' leagues ... So, dude's comments are off base ...

[draftedraptor]

Pure Ignorance! I am from Ontario, and yes basketball is popular there...but, if you follow the sport across the country and see what provinces do well at Nationals and what areas have solid followings for their college and University programs you would add many a province to that list. The basketball in Nova Scotia is great, second to none. Quebec has produced many solid players and is always a force in U17 competitions. Alberta produces a steady stream of quality and Saskatchewan and Manitoba are making big strides. You may want to get out and take a look before you make such a blanket statement.

Am I?

I live in alberta now. Any basketball reference in a conversation is met with blank glances. College basketball is not too bad but nothing like the support we see in the states or Ontario/BC. Same applies to Sas/Man. Give them a reason to get interested. More teams in NBA perhaps?

There is no reason why basketball cannot be big here but currently it is not.

[Bendit]

Well that kid grew up in brampton at the wrong time. There are lots and i mean lots of african americans in Brampton and a lot of them play ball. In the next few years we will see many players come out of Canada. I grew up there but i moved to Burlington a couple of years back

Lets not give the Amerks any more credit than they deserve

You must have surely meant "African Canadians" rather than "african americans"....in Brampton.

[Jon_Wade]

Having more games televised will continue to be huge moving forward.

When I was in grade school I was in a basketball league, played for the school team, etc ... but it wasn't until national television started carrying more and more Raps and Griz games that I became a fanatic.

In general, basketball in my area of NS is arguably the most popular sport ... nets everywhere ... competitive leagues from mini ball, right up to 'old men' leagues ... So, dude's comments are off base ...

Halifax? if not Halifax has quite a few ball nets up and I have seen many people playing on the courts in Halifax and also in Dartmouth. Even Yarmouth way there is quite a bit of Basketball going on!

[Nilanka]

"Pretty soon, we're all gonna be beige"

- Russell Peters

[Joey]

Anybody know how good Bennett is or might become? i know hes supposedly 6'8 230 so hes a big kid but can he handle the ball at all?

He's got a chance to be VERY good in my opinion.
He just won MVP at the National Highschool Invitational, he's the #7 ranked prospect in the US, and will likely end up going to Kentucky or Florida, both VERY solid programs.

He could very well feel (and act) more American than Canadian....having spent his more impressionable years growing up in West Virginia. I would be surprised if he knew what CIS stands for or even if Jay Triano was once the coach of the National team.

Not sure why you say this ...
Bennett has made countless contributions to the National Program, including leading us to a VERY impressive showings the U17 in Hamburg, as well as the Nike Global Hoops Challenge, where we lost out to the US in the Final game.
Bennett represents his Country with pride.

[WJF]

Halifax? if not Halifax has quite a few ball nets up and I have seen many people playing on the courts in Halifax and also in Dartmouth. Even Yarmouth way there is quite a bit of Basketball going on!

I have coached from one end of Nova Scotia to the other, Yarmouth to Sydney and all point in between. Even the smallest communities put out good ball players.

[Bendit]

He's got a chance to be VERY good in my opinion.
He just won MVP at the National Highschool Invitational, he's the #7 ranked prospect in the US, and will likely end up going to Kentucky or Florida, both VERY solid programs.



Not sure why you say this ...
Bennett has made countless contributions to the National Program, including leading us to a VERY impressive showings the U17 in Hamburg, as well as the Nike Global Hoops Challenge, where we lost out to the US in the Final game.
Bennett represents his Country with pride.

Thank you for setting me straight on that. My comments were not meant to be disparaging but rather excusable of his... since he had probably spent at least the last 4-5 yrs in the States and may have lost touch with the growth of bb in Canada. I just dont know but have some anecdotal experience with the son of a friend who also goes to a prep school there. He has since he was 13-14 and hardly gets back for any length of time...just the holidays. People...especially kids can change...and at that age I wouldn't hold it against him. Thats just the nature of things unless his family has a strong influence in reinforcing his roots.

[LBF]

Well that kid grew up in brampton at the wrong time. There are lots and i mean lots of african americans in Brampton and a lot of them play ball. In the next few years we will see many players come out of Canada. I grew up there but i moved to Burlington a couple of years back

I do notice that from who i talk to indian/brown skinned people seem to have the most interested in basketball, then the black, then white.

Not sure if it is that important or i'm being to nitty gritty. Just something I thought i'd point out.

let's forget all that and pretend basketball is as popular or close to hockey. What will you have a conversation about longer if you go across canada to every capital city, hockey or basketball?

I live in the GCH (greater city of hamilton) and not where i live particularly but as you get closer to downtown you can have a longer conversation about the tigercats in the offseason than the raptors during the season...

Then again there are a lot of hoboes, who get drunk off mouthwash. Who just ask you for change, no matter what you say.

[Thornbury]

He's right. Curling bumps NBA playoff games in Ontario, and Canada. 'Nuff said. When the Raps start winning playoff games, or when a kid like Bennet or Wiggins puts on a Raps jersey and starts making waves, then the sports culture will change.