With tip off less than 48 hours away, Canada Basketball finally unveiled the 14-man invite list for the final 2025 AmeriCup Qualifier window. For each game, Canada will dress 12 players from the training camp list below, so there’s some opportunity for some roster construction adjustments in between games.
Headlined by the return of C Mfiondu Kabengele, the team boasts a good blend of SMNT experience with a new fresh rotation of players making their debuts. Notably, Phil Scrubb, who was among the vets left off the team for Window two (which was a surprising omission given his unwavering past commitment), is back in the fold and should bring a stabilizing presence (not to mention sharpshooting from the perimeter) on offense for a team that struggled to take care of the ball in the previous two games in Saskatoon. Perhaps it was Nate Darling’s right foot injury management which will sideline him for this window that was the catalyst for a Scrubb return.
| Returning Players with SMNT Experience |
| Trae Bell-Haynes |
| Aaron Best |
| Marcus Carr |
| Quincy Guerrier |
| Mfiondu Kabengele |
| Thomas Kennedy |
| Prince Oduro |
| Lloyd Pandi |
| Phil Scrubb |
The most noteworthy addition to the squad is Isiaha Mike, who will hopefully be suiting up for Team Canada for the first time in his pro career. The 6’8” forward is arguably the most talented player on the team (he plays for EuroLeague club, Partizan) and his re-introduction into the SMNT player pool is a welcome sight to see (he was last invited to the 2021 Olympic training camp in Victoria), especially considering the lack of wing depth on this team in the absence of Jackson Rowe, who recently signed a two-way contract with the Golden State Warriors.
If you’ve read any of my work in the past 2 years, you’ll know how hard I have been campaigning for a SMNT call up for Mike (and Kabengele for that matter). Seeing Rowan Barrett and co. bringing them in at the beginning of this Olympic cycle has been a welcome sign of a competitive front office hungry for more talent. As it stands right now, Mike and Kabengele would be on my shortlist of non-NBA pros that should be in consideration for the eventual Olympic team in LA. They are both immensely talented, impactful and fill positions of need.
Out of all the recent Canadians to make the EuroLeague jump, I’m the highest on Mike. Canada Basketball, let’s get him in the fold ASAP.
Canadian Roundup: European Season Preview
With a win against the Dominican Republic on Feb 21st, Canada will officially clinch a spot in the 2025 FIBA AmeriCup, the first SMNT event enroute to the 2028 LA Olympics. It’s a small, but necessary, step that will allow Canada to continue along the primary qualification path (red). However, it will not be easy as the Dominican Republic, who were severely short handed in the previous matchup in Saskatoon, have called in their heavy hitters in Andrés Felix (Real Madrid, EuroLeague), Jean Montero (Valencia, EuroCup) and Angel Delgado (Galatasary, FIBA BCL). A win against Mexico to close out the window on Feb 24th should also be enough for Canada to qualify. Overall, the SMNT is in a good spot and just need to take care of business on the road.
