Here’s why we’re seeing more Canadians in the NBA than ever before

Kamil Karamali takes a closer look at Canadian talent in professional basketball.

As Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander held the NBA’s Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy after a thrilling Game 7 NBA Finals victory against the Indiana Pacers Sunday, the Hamilton, Ont. native made history: becoming the first ever Canadian to win the Most Valuable Player and become an NBA champion.

But Canada Basketball believes that’s only the start. With more Canadian players in the NBA than ever before, the governing body for basketball in Canada believes there are even more MVP-caliber players that can make their mark on the sport, especially on an international level.

“My mind is on winning,” Rowan Barrett, general manager of Canada’s national men’s team, told CTV News in an interview Sunday. “For me, it’s got to be going to reach the top of the podium, so we’re on our way and we’re growing.”

This year saw four Canadians in the NBA Finals: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luguentz Dort on the Oklahoma City Thunder, while Andrew Nembhard and Bennedict Mathurin suited up in yellow for the Indiana Pacers. The four tied a record set last year for the number of Canadians in an NBA finals series.

“It’s been something that’s been evolving throughout the last decade, maybe even more,” said Canada Basketball assistant coach Michael Meeks.

Better developmental programs

Meeks believes there are a multitude of reasons why Canadian youth are getting better at basketball.

For one, Meeks said basketball programs are spotting talent at a younger age, with many Canadians picking up a basketball and playing competitively much earlier.

“When we started targeting athletes around 13-14 years old, we’re going around to each province and we’re asking them to bring these athletes in front of us to see who is who and what is what at that age.”

He adds that’s when they start surrounding their environment with trainers, coaches and other competitive athletes to play against.

“Club basketball exploded. So, you’ve got tons of clubs, kids have places to play and barriers of entry are low," said Barrett. “And then on top of that you have the provincial programs, that are having their programs in the summer where they go to the national champions.”

The Canadian government has increased its funding to the sport in recent years, providing millions to Canada Basketball -- with further financial help from programs like Athlete Assistance Program and Sport Support Program.

There is also an increase in professional coaches teaching youth, using techniques they’ve learned at a higher level.

“Canada Basketball puts some structures in to have your level one or your level two when you’re coaching so there’s some structure to how you’re coaching and able to coach athletes,” said Barrett.

Now, Meeks says there’s a snowball effect taking place where the talent that Canada has already produced -- and the developmental programs in place -- are bringing in international talent, including from the U.S.

“Not only U.S. athletes but athletes from all over the world are coming into our school programs because they understand hey there’s something good happening in Canada,” said Meeks.

“When one athlete makes it through, then there’s kind of like a blueprint. And now, all the other athletes are going to follow that blueprint and they just keep moving the needle and our environment is just able to keep nurturing them."

A cultural and mental shift in Canada

Nembhard’s former high school coach, Gus Gymnopoulos believes the introduction of the Toronto Raptors to Canada had a major impact in creating a new generation of Canadians who fell in love with the game.

“If you look at all the NBA guys, they’re kind of at that age where they would have been impacted by that,” said Gymnopoulos in an interview with CTV News Saturday. “I think it was definitely a type of catalyst.”

According to Gymnopoulos, the NBA’s presence in the country changed the mentality for Canadian youth, allowing them to believe achieving the NBA dream was possible. That was followed by Canadians slowly trickling into the league, with the exclamation mark that was B.C.’s Steve Nash winning the league’s MVP twice.

“It’s not just a sport to sweat anymore, it’s not just a sport to go out and have fun. [Parents] now see a future -- and when parents see a future they take it more seriously, they seek the experts, they seek the competition,” Said Dwayne Washington, who coached both Gilgeous-Alexander and Nembhard in his UPlay program, which is a private club that develops young athletes in basketball and academics. "

“The players are better because the training has gotten better, coaches and developers have taken their craft a little more seriously,” added Washington.