Canada will be without its best player, Andrew Wiggins, as it tries to qualify for its first Olympic men’s basketball tournament since 2000.
Canada Basketball announced 19 players for a tryout and training camp from Friday through Wednesday ahead of a winner-goes-to-Rio, six-team qualifying tournament in the Philippines from July 5-10.
The 19-man list does not include Wiggins, who led Canada in minutes and points at the September’s FIBA Americas, where the team was stunned in the semifinals by Venezuela, forcing the Canadians to next month’s last-chance qualifying tournament.
It also does not include fellow NBA players Tristan Thompson (playing in the NBA Finals), Kelly Olynyk (shoulder surgery) and Nik Stauskas.