Tonight in Las Vegas, the USA Basketball Showcase begins with a highly anticipated North American showdown between the United States and Canada (10:30 ET, FS1). This event features five exhibition games over two weeks as both teams prepare for the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
The last encounter between Team USA and Team Canada occurred exactly 10 months ago during the bronze medal game of the 2023 FIBA World Cup, where Canada triumphed in an overtime thriller.
SGA and Brooks: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Dillon Brooks combined for 70 points to lead Team Canada to victory.
Bridges’ Miracle Shot: Mikal Bridges forced OT by intentionally missing a free throw, grabbing his own rebound, taking one dribble to the corner, and hitting a fadeaway three-pointer.
History for Canada: Canada secured its first-ever medal in the World Cup and its first medal in a major international basketball competition since the 1936 Olympics.
The Rosters: Team Canada will retain most of its World Cup roster for the Olympics, with notable additions such as Jamal Murray, Trey Lyles, and Andrew Nembhard. Canada boasts the most current NBA players (10) of any country outside the US.
On the other hand, Team USA only returns two players from its World Cup team – Anthony Edwards and Tyrese Haliburton – while adding 10 NBA All-Stars, including four former league MVPs: LeBron James (4x), Steph Curry (2x), Kevin Durant, and Joel Embiid.
All-NBA First Team: Both teams feature one member of the 2023-24 All-NBA First Team – SGA for Canada and Jayson Tatum for the US. However, Team USA holds a 9-1 edge across all three All-NBA Teams.
All-NBA Second & Third Teams: Team USA includes four players from both the All-NBA Second Team (Anthony Davis, Durant, Edwards, Kawhi Leonard) and Third Team (Devin Booker, Curry, Haliburton, LeBron).
Durant Out: KD – Team USA’s all-time leading scorer in the Olympics – has been ruled out due to calf soreness that has limited him during training camp in Las Vegas.
Early Test: With a roster full of NBA talent and a higher level of team continuity, Canada presents a strong early test for Team USA as the Americans take the court for the first time this summer.
