Cory Joseph, a seasoned veteran of Team Canada, expressed his disappointment after being excluded from the national team roster for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
Despite his longstanding commitment to the program, Joseph received the news of his omission just days before the opening of training camp.
In an interview with Michael Grange of SportsNet, Joseph reflected on his dedication to representing his country throughout his 13-year NBA career.
Having prioritized FIBA basketball over his NBA obligations on numerous occasions, Joseph felt disheartened by the lack of opportunity to compete for a spot on the Olympic roster.
“This is not me complaining, I’m not a complainer,” he said. “But there were times when I put FIBA basketball and playing for my country over my NBA situation at the time, whether I was in a contract year and I had no contract at the time and I went to go play for my country, whether I had little bumps and tweaks, I was there.
“Whether guys came or not, I always thought we still had a chance. For me it’s a little disheartening to be like, ‘Wow I wasn’t even given an opportunity to compete for whatever position?'” Joseph added.
During the 2023-2024 NBA season, Joseph appeared in 26 games for the Golden State Warriors, contributing 2.4 points and 1.6 assists per game.
Despite Joseph’s absence, Team Canada is poised to showcase an impressive roster in Paris, featuring standout talents like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and a wealth of NBA players.
