Toronto Star Referrer

Cousins reunite for World Cup qualifier

Canada’s Gilgeous-Alexander and Alexander-Walker prepared for emotional night in Hamilton

DOUG SMITH

They are no longer carefree kids hooping in the park for fun, but there are sure to be wistful memories of those days for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nickeil Alexander-Walker in Hamilton on Friday night.

The cousins, now established NBAers playing in the best league in the world, will be reunited as they suit up for Canada in the next step of the qualification process for the 2023 FIBA World Cup.

It will be special.

“I think about it every day,” Alexander-Walker, 23, said earlier this week.

“Just what the moment means: representing my country, doing it with family, having family there, being home at the same time. What more could you ask for?”

It’s been years since Gilgeous Alexander, a Hamilton native, shared a court with Toronto’s Alexander-Walker, dating back to high school.

As they prepared for the game against the Dominican Republic, their first thought was of moving Canada further along in qualifying, but not far behind was the emotion the game will evoke.

“It’s gonna be super fun,” the 23-year-old Gilgeous-Alexander said. “Haven’t done so since high school. Played against him a lot, obviously; playing with him this time will be fun.”

Canada has a perfect 4-0 record in this round and is already guaranteed to advance. But what’s at stake are spots in the FIBA ranking system that will ultimately determine groupings for the World Cup in Singapore, Japan and Philippines.

There’s also the continued development of the core group.

“There is a baseline philosophy on both sides of the ball that we believe in — it’s there,” coach Nick Nurse said. “And then I think it always gets tweaked based on availability, health, who’s playing well or whatever. Those things can contract or expand based on that.”

After facing the 3-1 Dominican Republic, Canada plays the 0-4 U.S. Virgin Islands on Monday to wrap up this round. The next two-game window is in late August, with opponents and sites still to be determined.

Getting in some significant summer games against topnotch competition is a great way for the cousins to work on the skills they need in the NBA. That and the chance to advance the cause and reputation of the country’s senior men’s program made their decision to commit three summers to the team easy to reach.

Alexander-Walker got a firsthand taste of it last summer, in Canada’s failed bid to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics.

“I think it really helped me in a lot more ways than I thought,” he said. “Just the meaning, the passion and the fun and the joy that you get from representing Canada and having Canada on your chest. It’s a blessing to be on that level … learning from them in this camp while you’re here, and then just taking it to your team and growing, and just the camaraderie every summer and being around great Canadian players.”

Gilgeous-Alexander did not play for Canada last summer, but was one of the first to commit through the 2024 Paris Olympics. He stepped up at a meeting of players and officials in Las Vegas right after the failed qualification bid and said he was in.

“I just wanted to get in front of it and let them know that I’m here,” he said. “I’m committed. Everything’s worked out, and I’ll be with the team going forward.”

The bonus, of course, is a rare home game for the senior men, who haven’t played a World Cup qualifier in Canada yet in this process because of border issues and COVID concerns. That should make Friday special not only for the cousins but the entire roster.

“It’s rare to get to play at home with a bunch of people that are also at home, you know?” Mississauga’s Dwight Powell said. “In the pros, we played the Raptors and all that, but your team is from all over. So it’s a different energy for us to be able to play at home for real. I know those guys feel it, for sure.”

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2022-07-01T07:00:00.0000000Z

2022-07-01T07:00:00.0000000Z

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