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Team Canada is one of the favorites to taste success at the FIBA World Cup, in large part due to the talent and strength in depth of their roster. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is arguably the team's star player alongside Jamal Murray, as the young guard continues to flourish into one of the most talented players on the planet.
As Canada prepares for their August 12 contest against New Zealand, they will be looking for a big performance from their star point guard, who they will likely feature as the primary scorer and playmaker from the opening tip.
RJ Barrett will also feature heavily in Canada's offensive approach as the New York Knicks forward continues to develop his game and prove his value as a starting-caliber player in the NBA. However, it will be Shai Gilgeous-Alexander who holds the keys to success for Canada, as the slithery guard bids to give his team a chance at making history by hoisting the FIBA World Cup trophy in mid-September.
Last season, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander proved himself as one of the premier talents in the NBA, earning All-NBA First-Team honors. Now, the impressive ball-handler will look to announce himself on the international stage with some stellar performances for the Maple Leafs.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 'as good or better' than Luka Doncic
According to ESPN's Tim Bontemps, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will enter the FIBA World Cup as arguably the best player in the tournament - and that includes Luka Doncic.
Bontemps believes that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's skillset will ensure the Canadian team has a legitimate shot at winning the World Cup, as the budding guard can stand toe-to-toe with any player on the planet.
“The Canadians enter this tournament arguably with the single best player in the entire field in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander,” Bontemps said. “He’s as good or better than Luka Doncic and anybody the American team has.”
If Shai Gilgeous-Alexander can play at the level we've seen from him throughout the past few NBA seasons, the Canadian national team will have every opportunity of making waves in the World Cup. However, before Canada can turn their attention toward the upcoming tournament, they will need to handle the New Zealand national team and come through the contest unscathed.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander struggled against Germany
While the Candian team will be relying on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to lead them toward a trophy, they will need a better performance from him than the one he provided against Germany.
During the contest - which Canada lost - Shai Gilgeous-Alexander struggled to make an impact. In 22 minutes, the Oklahoma City Thunder star registered 8 points off 2-of-10 shooting while also grabbing 4 rebounds.
Now that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has tasted high-level international basketball, the hope will be that he can adjust his game and approach to fit the different styles of basketball being played. Once Shai Gilgeous-Alexander can adjust, he will be among the most feared players at the FIBA World Cup and beyond.
