Newly signed Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks is among several NBA players who will likely be representing Canada in the upcoming 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup, according to an initial roster release. The 27-year-old is a native of Mississauga, Ontario.
Held from August 25 to September 10, this will be the 19th tournament of the FIBA Basketball World Cup for men’s national basketball teams. The 2023 version of the tournament is the second to feature 32 teams and will be hosted by multiple nations (the Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia) for the first time in its history.
Beyond Brooks, Canada’s initial 18-player World Cup roster will also feature Nuggets star Jamal Murray and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, an All-Star guard from the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Other NBA players on the Canadian roster, per Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle, include Utah’s Kelly Olynyk, a former Rocket; Minnesota’s Nickeil Alexander-Walker; New York’s R.J. Barrett; Oklahoma City’s Lu Dort; Boston’s Oshae Brissett; Golden State’s Cory Joseph; and Dallas’ Dwight Powell.
Canada’s roster will eventually be trimmed from 18 players entering training camp to 12 for the World Cup competition. Assuming health, Brooks should have a strong chance of making the final cut, since he’s among the most accomplished NBA players of the lot and arguably the team’s toughest perimeter defender.
