Canada’s men’s national basketball team is shining on the global stage both on and off the court at the FIBA World Cup.
However, for Bartlett, the World Cup goes beyond wins and losses. Bartlett spoke to BNN Bloomberg prior to the start of the World Cup to explain from a business and marketing standpoint how Canada Basketball can increase its reach both at home and around the world. The likes of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder, RJ Barrett of the New York Knicks, and Dillon Brooks of the Houston Rockets have already led Canada to some impressive and historic victories at the World Cup, but there seems to be a lack of buzz among the Canadian public for the tournament that has centred on Manila, Philippines for the decisive medal round.
If one player is emerging as a Canadian superstar in this event it’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, a 25-year old point guard out of Toronto who plays for the NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder. His early World Cup performance has drawn comparisons to past Canadian hoops stars Leo Rautins and Jay Triano, and numerous World Cup observers had him ranked the second best player after the Group Stage. Slovenia’s Luka Doncic, a perennial NBA MVP contender, was ranked number one.