Famous Canadian Basketball Players

Canadian national Steve Nash is a basketball coach and a former player. Known for his playmaking skills, he played for Dallas Mavericks, Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Lakers in America’s coveted National Basketball Association. He also played for the Canadian national men’s team from 1991 to 2003. He became the head coach of Brooklyn Nets of NBA in September 2020.

Rick Fox is a Canadian-Bahamian actor, businessman, former basketball player, and e-sports franchise owner. He is best known for representing the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association (NBA). After retiring from the sport, Rick Fox went on to establish himself as a media personality, appearing in TV shows like Dancing with the Stars.

Kelly Olynyk is a Canadian basketball player who has represented popular NBA teams like the Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, and Houston Rockets. Olynyk, who currently plays for the Detroit Pistons, is also an important member of the Canadian national team.

Nik Stauskas is a Canadian basketball player who has played for popular NBA teams like the Philadelphia 76ers, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Sacramento Kings. Also an important member of the Canadian senior national team, Nik Stauskas played at the 2015 FIBA Americas Championship, where he helped his team finish third. He currently plays for the Raptors 905 of the G League.

Known for both his towering 6’10” frame and his basketball skills, Trey Lyles is a Canadian-born basketball player who moved to Indiana at age 7 and was named one of the best high-school players in the US. He later represented NBA teams such as the Detroit Pistons as a center.

Born into a family of basketball enthusiasts of Jamaican origin, Canadian basketball player Tyler Ennis grew up to be known for his basketball skills and his towering 6’2” frame. The talented point guard played for the Turkish Super League team Turk Telekom in the Eurocup. He also played lacrosse in childhood.

Known for his jaw-dropping frame of 7’5” and his incredible shoe size of 22, Sim Bhullar is an Indian-origin Canadian basketball player who's represented teams such as the Hsinchu JKO Lioneers. The sixth-tallest NBA player ever, he is the son of a taxi driver and gas-station owner and is fluent in Punjabi.

Known both for his 7-foot frame and for his basketball skills, Bill Wennington, who is now popular for his commentary for the Chicago Bulls, once represented the Bulls as a player. The 3-time NBA champion, who had a 13-year stint with the NBA, is also part of the Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame.

Known as The Toughest Chicano, Joe Kapp made history by becoming the only player to quarterback in Rose Bowl, Grey Cup, and Super Bowl. He also received the Spirit of Life award for his charitable work and has helped Latin students by raising funds for their education.

Canadian basketball player Kevin Pangos is best known for his stint with the NBA team Cleveland Cavaliers. The 6’2” player of Slovenian origin is a dependable point guard. Though initially interested in hockey, he later switched to basketball, as his father, too, played the sport.

Born in Haiti, Samuel Dalembert later moved to Canada and then to the US. Known for his 13-year stint with NBA teams such as the Philadelphia 76ers and the Sacramento Kings, he has also been in the news for wrong reasons, such as for being suspended due to late arrival and oversleeping.

Canadian shooting guard/point guard Naz Mitrou-Long is best known for his stint with the Italian Lega Basket Serie A team Germani Brescia. Once named the 7th-best Canadian player, he has also played for the Sacramento Kings. The son of a Trinidadian father and a Greek-Canadian mother, he also has a basketball player brother.

The former head coach of the Canadian basketball teams Phoenix Suns and Toronto Raptors, Jay Triano has also captained the Canadian men’s national team. A two-time Olympian, he now coaches the national team and has also penned books such as Open Look: Canadian Basketball and Me.

Andy Rautins is an American-born Canadian former basketball player who represented the New York Knicks in the NBA between 2010 and 2011. He also played for the Canadian national team in tournaments like the International Alpos Cup. In 2009, he helped Canada finish fourth at the FIBA Americas Championship where he was the second-leading scorer.

Born in Congo, Myck Kabongo began his high-school basketball career in Canada. Named to McDonald’s All-American in 2011, the 6’1” point guard also played for the Texas Longhorns and also Basketball Africa League’s Mozambique-based team Ferroviário de Maputo. He is the bother of Canadian actor Emmanuel Kabongo.

Joey Haywood is a Trinidadian-Canadian basketball player who represented Trinidad and Tobago at the 2010 Centrobasket. Dubbed The King Handles due to his ball-handling expertise, Haywood has appeared in several NBL Canada Finals; he has received two Canadian of the Year Awards. Joey Haywood has also acted in films and aspires to pursue an acting career after retiring from basketball.

Known for his towering 6’6” frame, Dyshawn Pierre is a Canadian small forward who has represented the Fenerbahçe in EuroLeague and the Turkish Basketball Super League. Part of the FIBA Europe Cup-winning team, he had also won a bronze with the under-17 team at the FIBA World U17 Cup.

Born in Canada, Jordanian-origin basketball player Freddy Ibrahim is considered a star point guard of the Jordanian Premier League team Al Ahli Club. The 6’3” player has also represented the Tampa Spartans in the NCAA during his time at the University of Tampa.

Charles Minlend is a Cameroonian-Canadian retired basketball player. After Minlend went undrafted in the NBA draft in 1997, he moved to France where he displayed his skills in leagues like LNB Pro A. He then represented Israel's Maccabi Givat Shmuel where he was named the Israeli Basketball Premier League MVP in 2003. Charles Minlend retired in 2008.

Jamaican-born basketball player Michael Meeks initially played for his Canadian high-school team and later represented Canada in the Olympics. He is not just a Canadian citizen but has also acquired a German citizenship while playing for BG Gottingen in the country. He now works for Canada Basketball.

Canadian basketball forward Laeticia Amihere was part of Canada's 2020 Olympic team. At 15, she was the first Canadian female player to dunk in a game. Part of the gold-winning team at the FIBA Americas Under-16 Championship in 2016, she also excelled in the NCAA Tournament.

Born to German immigrants in Canada, Michael Jackel began his college basketball career with Simon Fraser University. He then had a 17-year career with Basketball Bundeslig and won four German League and four German Cup championships. He was also part of the 1993 Eurobasket-winning German team.

Osvaldo Jeanty was born in Haiti but pursued his sports career in Canada. A legend of the Carleton University Ravens basketball team, he is a five-time CIS Champion and a CIS Male Athlete of the Year. Post-retirement, he has served as a coach and also worked for a brokerage service company.