Canada’s ascent in the NBA during the 2024/2025 season is no fluke—it’s a full-on hoops revolution. With a record-tying 21 Canadians on opening-night rosters, the country trails only the United States in player representation, a streak that’s held for 11 straight years.
Leading this charge is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Oklahoma City Thunder’s electrifying guard, whose stat lines this season—30.3 points, 6.3 assists, and 1.9 steals per game—read like a video game cheat code. His 2023 FIBA World Cup heroics, averaging 24.5 points and steering Canada to its first-ever bronze medal, cemented his status as a global star and earned him a spot on the All-Tournament Team. This isn’t just a one-man show, though; it’s a nationwide surge, fueled by talent, history, and a perfect storm of cultural shifts.
Betting on the Boys
Sports betting has hitched a ride on Canada’s basketball wave, especially since single-event wagering became legal in 2021. Fans are putting money where their fandom is, with games featuring Gilgeous-Alexander or Murray drawing heavy action. In a country where sports betting Canada platforms operate under regulated provincial systems, the NBA’s Canadian stars offer a unique draw—think Shai’s 37-point outburst against Memphis as a bettor’s dream.
The trend boosts engagement, with platforms reporting a 30% uptick in basketball wagers since 2021, per industry estimates. But it’s not without wrinkles: Youth leagues, where Canada’s next wave is brewing, face scrutiny to keep gambling’s shadow off the court. For now, it’s a side dish to the main course of on-court brilliance.
Shai’s Spotlight As The King of the North
Gilgeous-Alexander’s 2024/2025 season is a masterclass in dominance. Take his March 26, 2025, performance against Sacramento: 32 points, eight rebounds, and five assists, with three triples for good measure. Two days later, he torched Memphis for 37 points and three steals, then followed up with 33 points and eight assists against Indiana on March 30. These aren’t outliers—they’re the norm for a player who finished second in MVP voting last season and continues to dismantle defenses with surgical precision.
His FIBA World Cup run—capped by a 31-point, 12-assist gem in the bronze-medal win over the U.S.—proved he’s not just an NBA standout but a national icon. Alongside him, players like Jamal Murray (Denver Nuggets) and RJ Barrett (Toronto Raptors) are lighting up scoreboards, signaling that Canada’s depth is as accurate as its winters are cold.
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Raptors’ Roar – The 2019 Spark That Ignited a Nation
The Toronto Raptors’ 2019 NBA championship wasn’t just a trophy—it was a cultural earthquake. Beating the Golden State Warriors in six games, with Kawhi Leonard’s buzzer-beater in the Eastern Conference Semifinals still echoing, the Raptors gave Canada its first taste of NBA glory. That triumph, watched by 15.9 million Canadians for Game 6 alone, flipped a switch.
Youth participation in basketball spiked, with Basketball Canada reporting a 20% jump in registrations post-2019. The Raptors became a beacon, proving Canadian teams—and players—could compete at the highest level. Today, their roster boasts three Canadians—Barrett, Kelly Olynyk, and Chris Boucher—reflecting how that championship seeded a talent pipeline now flooding the league.
Who’s Heating Up the NBA
Canada’s 2024/2025 NBA contingent is a mix of stars and role players reshaping the game. Here’s a rundown of standout performers:
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder): 30.3 points, 6.3 assists, 1.9 steals—enough said.
- Jamal Murray (Denver Nuggets): The 2023 champ averages 21.2 points and 6.5 assists, a clutch maestro.
- RJ Barrett (Toronto Raptors): 20.8 points per game, thriving in his hometown return.
- Zach Edey (Memphis Grizzlies): The 7’4” rookie, fresh off back-to-back Naismith Awards, debuted on October 23, 2024, bringing size and promise.
- Dillon Brooks (Houston Rockets): A defensive menace, averaging 1.5 steals and gritty intangibles.
This list isn’t exhaustive; 21 players dot rosters league-wide, but it showcases a blend of firepower and tenacity that is driving Canada’s rise.
Concrete Courts and Cultural Cool As The Roots of the Rise
Canada’s basketball boom isn’t luck—it’s infrastructure and ethos colliding. The country’s urban sprawl, from Toronto to Vancouver, is dotted with public courts, many built or upgraded post-2019 as municipalities cashed in on the Raptors’ hype. Basketball Canada’s “Summer Core” program, locking in talents like Gilgeous-Alexander for national team runs, has honed a generation—see their 2023 FIBA success and 2024 Olympic berth after 24 years.
Culturally, the sport’s hip-hop ties and immigrant-driven diversity—think Caribbean and South Asian communities in the GTA—have made it a unifier. Steve Nash’s MVP wins in 2005 and 2006 planted seeds, but the Raptors’ ring and today’s stars are the harvest.
Canada’s Hoops Horizon
The 2023 FIBA World Cup bronze wasn’t just a medal—it was a warning shot. Canada’s 6-2 run, including a 127-118 upset of the U.S., showcased a roster stacked with NBA talent: Gilgeous-Alexander, Murray, Barrett, Brooks, and more.
The 2024 Olympics saw them go 3-0 in group play before a quarterfinal exit to France, a near-miss that stoked hunger for 2028. With the Thunder atop the West and Edey emerging, the 2024/2025 season is a flex of Canada’s depth. The NBA’s international flavor—125 players from 43 countries—still bends toward Canada, which boasts three of the league’s top 15 scorers this year. That’s not coincidence; it’s momentum.
