Some big names will be missing when Canada's men's basketball team makes its next push to qualify for the 2027 FIFA World Cup.
Canada Basketball general manager Rowan Barrett unveiled the nation's roster for the second round of the Americas qualifiers Tuesday, headlined by Atlanta Hawks guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker.
He'll be joined by Hawks teammate Luguentz Dort, who was traded to Atlanta this off-season after seven years in Oklahoma City, along with Trae Bell-Haynes, Khem Birch, Marcus Carr, Mfiondu Kabengele, Kaza Kajami-Keane, Koby McEwen, David Muenkat, Nick Ongenda, Kelly Olynyk, Jackson Rowe, Thomas Scrubb, Keevan Veinot and Kyle Wiltjer.
The Canadians will head to Panama City to take on Panama on Thursday before hosting Argentina in Quebec City on Monday.
Barrett's son, Toronto Raptors star RJ Barrett, and Bennedict Mathurin of the Los Angeles Clippers will join the team as ambassadors but will not play.
"We have not required our NBA athletes, especially starting out on the road here in Panama, we have not required our NBA athletes to participate in this window if they're not playing," Rowan Barrett said.
"We believe they've come earlier in the summer, they've learned the coaches, they've learned the system, they've supported the team, they've done that, they've met the requirement."
Plans were to have Shaedon Sharpe on the 15-player roster, Barrett said, but the 23-year-old Portland Trail Blazers guard, who averaged a career-high 20.8 points last season, tore his meniscus last week and will be out for six months.
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Several of Canada's top NBA stars will be absent for the latest round of qualifying, including the league's two-time MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Phoenix Suns standout Dillon Brooks.
Barrett didn't offer details on why either athlete isn't participating, but he said several of the players in Canada's pool are dealing with various circumstances, from injuries and fatigue to contract issues and training camp preparations.
"We have multiple players injured. Some you know, some you don't know," the GM said.
"There are many, many different things we manage before putting together a roster, not to mention just life. Our guys are getting older. They're full adults now, married with children."
Canada Basketball has a pool of over 50 committed athletes it can pull from depending on anything from injuries to the timing of games, he added.
"You always have to be dipping into your pool to be putting together your best possible team …This is normal for us," Barrett said.
