Paris Olympics: Andrew Wiggins Refuses to Commit to Team Canada 40 Days Before Exhibition Game vs USA

An enticing basketball summer is on the horizon. Following the NBA Finals this month, the countdown for the Paris Olympics will begin. The tournament starts late in July. The event is headlined by the reinforced Team USA, who are spearheaded by returning allies LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant. But as the great Kobe Bryant once stated, ‘the world will catch on’, and they have.

Considered a severe threat to the USA is Canada, another team jammed with NBA stars. They have qualified for the elusive competition for the first time in over two decades. With the final squad yet to be announced for the Maple Leaf, veteran forward Andrew Wiggins spoke about his place on the roster when speaking to Sports Net.

Instead of clarifying whether he will participate, the Golden State Warriors left room for skepticism. “Stay tuned” is all he told the hosts when asked about his participation in the upcoming Paris Olympics. However, it wasn’t before he announced the pride he would feel to drape the Canadian jersey.

“They had a great summer last year when they had qualified for the Olympics, all those guys did their thing and really put on [a show] for the country, and I’d be honored to play for our country” said Andrew Wiggins on the conference call with SportsNet.

The Canadian National Team was exquisite when they played during the FIBA World Cup 2023. Shai-Gilgeous Alexander, an MVP candidate took the helm with the likes of Dillion Brooks, RJ Barrett, and Kelly Olynyk a part of the roster as well. They placed third in the competition, securing the bronze medal by winning against Team USA, who were led by 22-year-old budding star Anthony Edwards.

The two sides will clash once again in Las Vegas for an exhibition game before the commencement of the Paris Olympics. As for Canada’s roster, the management will hold a technical meeting to finalize the players before the tournament.

Andrew Wiggins’ history with Canada

Andrew Wiggins has been a faithful servant to the Canadian basketball team since he was a young rookie in the NBA. The Warriors forward was part of both the 2015 and 2021 squads that failed to achieve Olympic berths. It was the last time he made an appearance for Canada which they lost to the Czech Republic in the Semi-Final.

Wiggins was the pillar for Team Canada during the 2020 Olympic qualifiers. He averaged 21.7 points, 6 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in the three games he played during that series. His shooting percentages too were terrific. Wiggins shot 55% from the field and 42% from three.

Wiggins had a rocky 2023-24 campaign, marked by several absences from the Bay during the regular season. In 71 games played, Wiggins averaged 13.2 points, the lowest of his entire career. He was performing below his own standards which forced Steve Kerr to move Wiggins to the bench to make way for youthful forward Jonathan Kuminga.

Despite the long absence, a talent with the skillset of Wiggins can’t be ignored easily. The Warriors forward was instrumental in the team’s 2022 championship triumph playing stellar defense on Jayson Tatum. Apart from his incredible defensive prowess, Wiggins can be the focal point of the offense with SGA and Jamal Murray off the floor.

Do you think Andrew Wiggins will be present in Paris? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.

Share this with a friend: