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Thompson challenges Canadian players to 'step up and play' for country

REUTERS/Romeo Ranoco

Canada Basketball will soon join the United States as the only teams ever to field a team comprised entirely of NBA players.

There's so much young talent in the Northern pipeline that it seems only a matter of time before Canada threatens for the podium during international competitions. However, in order to reach that level, Canada's best ballers have to come out and represent their country.

Brampton-born power forward Tristan Thompson put out a call to arms for his fellow Canucks following yet another summer of frustration for Canada Basketball.

"(It should) challenge the guys who didn’t play to next time when the country calls," Thompson told ESPN's Dave McMenamin. "Step up and play."

Canada Basketball marked Rio 2016 as their coming out party on the world's biggest stage, but they fell just short of qualifying in two separate tournaments in consecutive years.

Needing only a victory against Venezuela in the semifinals of FIBA Amercias 2015, a Canadian side without Thompson fell victim to a last-second officiating gaff that cost them a ticket to the Summer Games.

Thompson, however, could hardly be blamed for his absence since he didn't have a contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers at the time, owing to an extended holdout.

That forced the Canadians to try their luck at the Olympic qualifiers, but they were shorthanded once again. A wild-card spot was within their grasp, but a Canadian side led by Thompson and Cory Joseph fell one win short in losing to a battle-tested French team.

Andrew Wiggins abstained from the qualifiers in an effort to spend his offseason preparing himself for the upcoming NBA season, while the likes of Jamal Murray, Andrew Nicholson, and Dwight Powell missed out due to contractual uncertainties. Other talents such as Nik Stauskas and Trey Lyles skipped out for unknown reasons. Stretch center Kelly Olynyk was sidelined with an injury.

Canada now turns its sights towards Tokyo 2020, where hopefully, the nation's best can show up in full force to deliver the breakthrough that has long been promised for Canadian basketball.

"Next time when it comes around, we’ll give them a call and hopefully they’ll show up," said Thompson. "Shoot, if I say I’m playing that’s enough recruiting right there. If me and Cory say we both going to play, that’s enough.

"Join something special."

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