Jamal Murray will not play for Team Canada at FIBA World Cup

Including the playoffs, Jamal Murray played in 85 games during the 2022-23 season — his most since the 2018-19 season. Even more impressive, he was coming into last season after recovering from a torn ACL, which kept him off the hardwood for roughly 18 months. Once he finally returned to the Denver Nuggets, he wasted no time playing back into form and helping lead the franchise to its first-ever NBA championship.

In short, it’s been a busy 10 months for the former Kentucky guard. And that’s why he won’t be playing for Team Canada in the 2023 FIBA World Cup, which begins group play on Friday, August 25 in Indonesia. Canada Basketball announced on Wednesday morning that Murray will not join the program for the World Cup. He’ll instead use this time to rehab in order to be ready for the 2023-24 NBA season with the Nuggets.

“When I came into training camp, I wanted to see how my body would respond after a long and demanding season and if I would be physically able to compete at the highest level required for the World Cup,” Murray said in a statement. “In consultation with medical staff and the team, it is clear that additional recovery is required, and I have made the difficult decision to not participate in the tournament. It’s still a dream of mine to represent Canada at the Olympics, and I will support the team every step of the way as they pursue this goal.”

Although Murray did take part in training camp, this news did not come as much of a surprise. He was not participating in Team Canada’s tune-up games earlier this month. It’s important to note that Murray is eligible for a massive contract extension with Denver and could be in for a potential $300 million deal next summer.

Jamal Murray to miss the FIBA Men’s Basketball World Cup.

Read more: https://t.co/2tDNktebOD#FIBAWC #WinForCanada pic.twitter.com/hj8KdFw2ET

— Canada Basketball (@CanBball) August 16, 2023

It’s understandable why Murray would elect to sit out the World Cup, especially with the Paris 2024 Olympic Games set for next summer, which he would likely play in. But it sure would have been fun for the Big Blue Nation to see him suit up this month in the backcourt next to fellow former ‘Cat, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is playing for Team Canada and is considered the nation’s top player. SGA has been participating in tune-up games in recent weeks and will be one of the most talented players in the entire tournament.

Team Canada is currently ranked No. 15 in the FIBA World Ranking. They’ll play in Group H, which also consists of Latvia (No. 30), Lebanon (No. 43), and France (No. 5). Even without Murray, Team Canada will bring its strongest-ever roster to the World Cup with hopes of qualifying for the Olympics, which Canada hasn’t done since 2000.