Jamal Murray Plans to Join Canada at Olympics

Jamal Murray says he’s coming to Paris.

It was a bittersweet night for Team Canada who watched as the Denver Nuggets fell to the Minnesota Timberwolves in Monday’s Game 7. The loss came just a day after Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luguentz Dort both lost to the Dallas Mavericks in Game 7 in their Western Conference semifinal.

The good news, though, is Murray told reporters he plans to represent the Canadian senior men’s national basketball team at the 2024 Olympics this summer, Vinny Benedetto of the Denver Gazette reported.

Murray tried to join the team for the FIBA World Cup last summer but he was unable to play following Denver’s championship run. He was also held out of the 2020 Olympic qualifier in Victoria as he battled back from an ACL tear.

A longer playoff run by the Nuggets could have jeopardized Murray’s ability to represent the team this summer. Now Canada can expect to head into the Olympics with Murray and Gilgeous-Alexander leading one of the best backcourts in the tournament.

Toronto Raptors forwards Kelly Olynyk and RJ Barrett have both committed to playing at the Olympics this summer and will join the two Western Conference stars.

Dwight Powell and Nickeil Alexander-Walker are the only Canadians from the FIBA World Cup team still playing in the NBA playoffs. They will face off with each other in the Western Conference finals.

Canada will plan an international friendly in Las Vegas against the United States on July 10. Olympic basketball will begin on July 27.