With Andrew Wiggins helping lead the Golden State Warriors to a championship last season, Shai Gilgeous Alexander playing out of his mind and Jamal Murray back in form… Canadian basketball is in a good spot right now. Gone are the days of Canadian’s being known for their ice hockey skills, politeness and free healthcare. The growth of Canada’s talent pool goes hand in hand with its popularity. Amongst millennials, basketball is the second most popular sport that’s followed in Canada behind hockey. But what exactly led to Canadian basketball growing as much as it has?
Improved Coaching
Canadian basketball is now more advanced when it comes to strategy, player development, analytics (etc). A lot of the development we’ve seen in players begins with coaching. Canadian and Raptors assistant coach Nathaniel Mitchell had this to say about Canadian coaches “It’s to the point now where Canadian athletes are finishing school, and they’re not playing professional basketball; they’re becoming coaches. So, we’re having guys that have been there, will become coaches at younger ages, and it’s bleeding into our young guys. And that’s where the growth is coming.“ Many Canadian coaches who have played the game at a high level are now giving back and helping spread their knowledge.
Another big reason for our coaches being so knowledgeable is because of the many coaching clinics taking place in the country. Canada Basketball for instance is not only helping nurture player development, but they are helping build the minds of coaches in Canada. Canada Basketball now runs clinics and workshops for coaches to give them instruction to improve their coaching. They not only help coaches figure out the best strategies and drills, but how to relay their message to the specific level and age group of players they’re coaching. They even help them with figuring out how to use coaching analytical software. There are a variety of other coaching clinics offered in Canada as well by the OBA and the Raptors 905.
Foreign Talent
The growth of basketball in Canada can be directly attributed to immigration as a lot of Canada’s talent comes from first or second generation immigrants. Canada has always had some of the highest immigration rates in the world as we rely on them to grow our population. Our citizens who come as immigrants contribute to our society in so many ways, and basketball is just one of many. This has contributed to the current culture of basketball as the country tends to gets immigration from countries where basketball might be more popular or culturally dominant. If you look at who our top talent has been you will notice that many players are first or second generation immigrants. For instance, Jamal Murray’s dad moved from Jamaica and his mother moved from Syria. Two time MVP Steve Nash was also a first generation immigrant who came from South Africa.
Accessibility
Basketball is even more accessible and affordable than soccer. In a country where ice hockey is dominant, basketball offers a cheaper alternative. Unlike hockey which requires tons of equipment, basketball only requires a ball and shoes. There is also a smaller learning curve compared to a sport like ice hockey where you have to learn to skate well before you can actually excel on the ice. The accessibility of basketball makes it a sport that anyone can pick up and excel at.
With the growth of basketball in Canada, we want to help youth realize their potential and grow their life skills. Like Canada Basketball, we are also partnered with the JR NBA and want to help push basketball forward in Canada through youth development. Click below to learn more about our academy and its many skill camps, developmental lessons, teams and more.
Academy
