RJ Barrett will test out knee with Team Canada at World Cup
With his sprained knee apparently one hundred pc, RJ Barrett will get an opportunity to play on an enormous stage — for his nation and his father — earlier than the Knicks open coaching camp.
During a press convention for Team Canada, it was disclosed 14 gamers — together with Barrett — have dedicated to collaborating in all worldwide qualifying occasions forward of the 2024 Olympics. Rowan Barrett, RJ’s father who raised his son within the Toronto suburbs, is the crew normal supervisor.
Canada did not make the Olympics final summer time by dropping within the qualifying finals to Czech Republic. It was a deep disappointment due to Canada’s rising quantity of NBA gamers. An absence of crew chemistry is being blamed for the ouster.
The World Cup is up first. Canada, coached by Nick Nurse, will open the World Cup qualifiers in Hamilton, Ontario, on July 1 towards the Dominican Republic.
During the Knicks’ second-to-last sport of the season, at Washington, Barrett damage his knee whereas driving to the basket. He missed the finale, however was anticipated again three weeks later, so he must be good to go for the qualifiers.
“We determined we needed to have continuity and cohesion within our teams,” Barrett’s father mentioned. “We have talented teams. We have talented players. But we need them somehow to be together, kind of, the left hand needs to know what the right hand is doing, [which] is a little bit more important for us this time.”
The 14 Canadians who’ve renewed their commitments are: Barrett, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Khem Birch, Oshae Brissett, Dillon Brooks, Luguentz Dort, Zach Edey, Melvin Ejim, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Cory Joseph, Jamal Murray, Kelly Olynyk, Kevin Pangos, and Dwight Powell.
