The NBA Finals are officially underway. Despite reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder facing elimination at the hands of the rising San Antonio Spurs, Kelly Olynyk and Emanuel Miller of the aforementioned team make this the fifth consecutive Finals with Canadians on a team, and the fifteenth in sixteen seasons.
Despite Canada’s reputation as a hockey-first nation, Canada has quietly developed into a powerhouse of its own in the world of basketball. After all, the game was developed by one of our own, James Naismith.
From a national bronze medal at the 2023 FIBA World Cup, to breeding a multitude of All-Stars, MVPs and champions, Canada is no longer a benchwarmer in basketball but a franchise player. Our talent pool has never run deeper, with some of the league’s top talent hailing from north.
With 2026 resulting in two Canadian All-Stars, a Canadian MVP and two Canadian Finals players, it’s time to celebrate our success. With a criterion of accolades, skills and influence, these are the 20 Best Canadian Basketball Players of All Time.
20. Brandon Clarke
- Seasons: 2019–2026
- Finals Appearances: 0
- Championships: 0
- Accolades: All-Rookie First Team, Summer League MVP
Upon Brandon Clarke’s untimely passing last month, one sentiment remained consistent among the tributes that poured in: he was the ultimate teammate. Former Grizzlies forward Jake LaRavia dubbed Clarke, “Forever my locker buddy,” while Lamar Stevens said that he was, “One of my favorite teammates and people ever.”
After his inaugural season with 12.1 points and 5.9 rebounds landed him All-Rookie First Team honours, Clarke remained consistent, averaging similar numbers throughout his seven seasons of play. Clarke’s play style felt like a high-flying reincarnation of the Grit N Grind Grizzlies of the decade prior. A 40.5-inch vertical leap made up for what he lacked in height, allowing for explosive dunks, a dynamic ability to guard across multiple positions and protect the paint. He leaves behind a legacy defined not just by his consistency of his play, but also a warm presence in the locker room.
19. Kelly Olynyk
- Seasons: 2013–present
- Finals Appearances: 2
- Championships: 0
- Accolades: All-Rookie Second Team
Whether his early years in Boston, a finals run in Miami or beyond, Kelly Olynyk has consistently served as a dependable backup center throughout his 12-year career. What he lacks in defensive edge, he makes up for in offensive prowess, with a particular knack for steals despite his 7-foot frame. The offensive-minded center shifted his game towards the second half of his career, operating as an important veteran presence for fellow big men such as New Orleans’ Yves Missi and now, San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama. Don’t expect to see the Kamloops native hang it up following this season, as the 35-year-old recently pledged a three-year commitment to Basketball Canada, potentially taking his career up to the 2028 Olympics.
18. Zach Edey
- Seasons: 2024–present
- Finals Appearances: 0
- Championships: 0
- Accolades: All-Rookie First Team
“Bully Ball” is back and in good hands. Zach Edey is a walking low-post nightmare. Hailing at 7’4”, the Toronto native is practically unguardable, with his size, elite inside scoring abilities and sheer brute strength allowing him to punish defenses on a nightly basis.
Throughout his four-year college career, Edey racked up the most awards for a Big Ten player of all-time, tying Evan Turner. His back-to-back Naismith College Player of the Year prizes made him the first player since Ralph Samson in 1982 and 1983 to win in consecutive years.
Edey’s early success was not exclusive to university. With his national playing career, he has helped Team Canada earn two bronze medals, including the 2023 FIBA World Cup. His sophomore season shows the promise of exerting this level of dominance at the professional level. A monstrous 13.6 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks this past season proves that an old-school blueprint can find its return into the modern game.
17. Bill Wennington
- Seasons: 1985–2000
- Finals Appearances: 3
- Championships: 3
- Accolades: None
Would Michael Jordan have earned his second three-peat without the help of Montreal’s 7-foot Bill Wennington? Likely, yes. But it doesn’t mean that “Beef Wennington” wasn’t an integral piece of The Last Dance Bulls. Wennington played his role serving as the primary backup center to Luc Longley, helping lock down big men such as Sam Perkins, Greg Ostertag and Antoine Carr. Apart from what was apparent on court, Wennington, in true Canadian fashion, also served as a tremendous locker room presence, serving as a “glue guy” in an often-intense team dynamic. These days, Wennington can be heard as a colour commentator for both the Bulls, along with select games back home for the Canadian Elite Basketball League.
16. Nickeil Alexander-Walker
- Seasons: 2019–present
- Finals Appearances: 0
- Championships: 0
- Accolades: Most Improved Player
Despite regularly making playoff runs, Nickeil Alexander-Walker’s talents always felt confined to the margins of a supporting role. It’s even easier to overlook his potential when conversations consistently cast him in the shadow of his superstar cousin, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. And yet, after several seasons of quiet role player consistency, 2026 at long last saw Alexander-Walker evolve into a star of his own. After signing a four-year, $62 million sign-and-trade deal with the Atlanta Hawks, Alexander-Walker more than doubled his points average from the previous season, while also posting career-highs in assists, rebounds, steals and blocks. Moreover, the Toronto talent served as a leading force in helping the improbable Hawks go from draft darlings to the 6th seed. The future is looking bright in ATL, with Nickeil Alexander-Walker taking no small role in helping the team get over their hump.
15. Samuel Dalembert
- Seasons: 2001–2015
- Finals Appearances: 0
- Championships: 0
- Accolades: J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award
Born in Haiti, Dalembert moved to Montreal as a teenager, discovering his hoop dreams on Canadian courts before a formidable 13-year NBA career. Selected 26th overall by the Philadelphia 76ers in 2001, Dalembert spent nearly a decade in Philly establishing himself as one of the league's premier shot-blockers. The center’s rookie season saw the young talent being mentored by the late Dikembe Mutombo, positioning him to take over the starting spot when Mt. Mutombo would depart the team the following year. While he didn’t have his own signature move à la finger wag, the influence was unmistakable in how Dalembert could patrol the paint. “The Haitian Sensation” ended his career as a journeyman, earning formidable stints in Milwaukee and Dallas with playoff appearances.
14. Andrew Nembhard
- Seasons: 2022–present
- Finals Appearances: 1
- Championships: 0
- Accolades: Rising Stars Challenge selection
As the 31st overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, expectations were relatively low for the Aurora, Ontario guard. However, Nembhard’s clutch abilities in crucial moments quickly earned him a spot in the team’s starting lineup. With a crafty midrange and playmaking wise beyond his years, Nembard proved that he is more than just Tyrese Haliburton’s understudy, but a crucial piece for a team who reached the playoffs and later finals far quicker than anyone’s expectations. With Haliburton out the entire 2025-26 season, Nembhard’s talents particularly flourished, achieving career highs in points, assists, free throw and three-point percentages. A backcourt of snipers in Nembhard and a (hopefully) healthy Haliburton is sure to keep the Pacers as a contending squad for the foreseeable future.
13. Lu Dort
- Seasons: 2019–present
- Finals Appearances: 1
- Championships: 1
- Accolades: All-Defensive First Team (2025), Rising Stars Challenge (2021)
In just six seasons of play, Luguentz Dort has evolved from being seen as a steal on the undrafted market by the Oklahoma City Thunder, to asserting himself as one of the league’s biggest menances. Much like Jrue Holiday or Marcus Smart, Dort is a defense-first guard, a lockdown specialist tasked with disrupting primary playmakers. His linebacker-like build allows for elite hustle plays, with his physicality getting him increasingly in foul trouble. “The Dorture Chamber” played an integral role in helping the Thunder win their 2025 championship, earning All-Defensive First Team honours along the way. The Montreal-Nord talent becomes a free agent in 2027, with his past few years of play serving as all the proof necessary for why he is due for a big contract.
12. Bob Houbregs
- Seasons: 1953–1958
- Finals Appearances: 2
- Championships: 0
- Accolades: Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Inductee (1987)
Drafted in 1953, Bob Houbregs was among one of the earliest Canadians to play in the NBA. The 6’7” Vancouverite played on the starting roster of the Fort Wayne Pistons, helping the team reach consecutive finals in 1955 and 1956, averaging 10.7 points and 6.2 rebounds across the two postseasons. Outside of playing, Houbregs served as General Manager for the Seattle Supersonics in the early 1970s, helping lay much of the foundation for the team’s eventual championship in 1979. Houbregs holds the distinct honour of being the first Canadian to be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1987.
11. Chris Boucher
- Seasons: 2017–Present
- Finals Appearances: 2
- Championships: 2
- Accolades: NBA G League MVP & Defensive Player of the Year (2019)
Chris Boucher’s journey to the NBA seems near improbable. Raised in Montréal-Nord, he dropped out of high school at 16, washing dishes and experiencing homelessness during an unstable period. He took to basketball for solace, propelling him from a local Quebec prep program to a standout collegiate stint with the Oregon Ducks. But after a devastating ACL tear and entering the draft as an older prospect, he went undrafted. Boucher benefitted deeply from the NBA’s then-new two-way player contracts, signing with the reigning champs, Golden State Warriors, splitting time between the team and their G-League affiliate. He earned a championship in his first season, despite less than two minutes of playing time. Luck found its way to Boucher once again the following season, winning an additional chip with the 2019 Toronto Raptors and serving as the squad’s sole Canadian talent. Boucher truly came to his own in the years that followed, breathing life into the Raptors’ second-unit as a stretch-five throughout the first half of the decade. And while Boucher only played nine games as a member of the 2025-26 Boston Celtics, it seems as if the 33-year-old still has plenty of story left to write.
10. Rick Fox
- Seasons: 1991–2004
- Finals Appearances: 4
- Championships: 3
- Accolades: All-Rookie Second Team
With teammates like prime Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant, it’s easy to forget how nice Rick Fox was with the ball. A career year in Boston in the 1997-98 season averaging a career-best 15.4 points and 2.2 steals led to the Celtics offering Fox a seven-year, $33 million deal. In a bizarre turn of events, Boston abruptly renounced the contract days later due to a roster crunch, forcing Fox to pivot and sign a mere $1 million exception with the Lakers. While money was left on the table, the move to Hollywood turned out to be its own blessing in disguise. Fox played a key role in the Lakers 2000s three-peat, serving as starting small forward for the latter two championships. Fox remains one of the most decorated Canadian basketball players to date, and while he never quite amassed $33 million, he did just fine financially in the process.
9. Jamaal Magloire
- Seasons: 2000–2012
- Finals Appearances: 1
- Championships: 0
- Accolades: 1x All-Star
Drafted in 2000, Toronto’s Jamaal Magloire was a key piece of the Hornets, both in their final years in Charlotte and upon the team’s relocation to New Orleans. Magloire’s sole All-Star season came in 2004, where he recorded 13.6 points and 10.3 rebounds, not to mention achieving 8 rebounds in 19 points in the All-Star Game, despite coming off of the bench. Magloire ended his career by signing in Toronto for the 2011-12 season, becoming the first Canadian to play for the Raptors. Today, Magloire serves as a community ambassador for both the Raptors and Basketball Canada, with a special focus on assisting children in underserved areas. If it weren’t for Steve Nash, Magloire would widely be regarded as the NBA’s top Canadian talent of the 2000s.
8. Tristan Thompson
- Seasons: 2011–2025
- Finals Appearances: 4
- Championships: 1
- Accolades: All-Rookie Second Team
Don’t let the reality TV tomfoolery distract you from how nice Tristan Thompson was on the court. The Brampton-born center was selected 4th overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2011, making him the highest-drafted Canadian in history at this point in time. Thompson made an immediate impact, providing a much needed spark for offensive rebounding and defensive versatility. Thompson’s early years in Cleveland prepared him for greatness, when LeBron James returned to the team for the 2014-15 season and led the team to four consecutive finals. As starting center for the entire 2016 playoffs run, Thompson helped the Cavs earn their first NBA title, coming back from a 3-1 deficit and stopping the highly-favored Golden State Warriors from achieving back-to-back titles.
7. Bennedict Mathurin
- Seasons: 2022–present
- Finals Appearances: 1
- Championships: 0
- Accolades: All-Rookie First Team, Rising Stars Challenge (2024)
This past February, Los Angeles Clippers fans were devastated upon longtime center Ivica Zubac being traded to the Indiana Pacers. Little did they know, they may have just secured their next franchise player in the process. Montreal’s Bennedict Mathurin has made a measurable impact at every stop in his career, collegiate and professional alike. As the 2022 Pac-12 Tournament Most Outstanding Player, he helped the Arizona Wildcats reach the NCAA tournament’s Sweet Sixteen in his sophomore year. Mathurin’s first playoffs appearance in his career saw the Pacers reach Game 7 in the 2025 Finals, where he added firepower off the bench with 11 points per game. With a 17.6 point in 2026— only the fourth year of his career — and an upward statistical trajectory, Sixth Man of the Year and All-Star appear imminent in this already overachieving career.
6. RJ Barrett
- Seasons: 2019–present
- Finals Appearances: 0
- Championships: 0
- Accolades: All-Rookie Second Team
For some athletes, reaching your full potential can be completely dependent on your environment. Although RJ Barrett getting drafted to the New York Knicks coincided with the team escaping years of mediocrity, it simply was not where he would be able to reach his highest of heights. A trade to his hometown Raptors in 2024 felt poetic, and became a destination where his impact was immediately felt.
As the team’s playoffs points leader alongside Scottie Barnes with 24.1 apiece, Barrett helped take the team he grew up adoring to a hardily-fought game 7 in their first postseason since 2022. With an extremely tradeable contract and impressive numbers, it remains unclear whether or not Barrett will remain a Raptor for years to come. However, the past few years have proved him to be an All-Star in the making and a leader among his peers. A versatile defender and attack-first scorer, Barrett fearlessly lives up to his “Maple Mamba” moniker.
5. Dillon Brooks
- Seasons: 2017–present
- Finals Appearances: 0
- Championships: 0
- Accolades: 1x All-Defensive Second Team
Dillon Brooks is the human embodiment of a "necessary evil.” He continues a rich tradition embodied by the likes of Bill Laimbeer or Patrick Beverly: a player you hate to play against, but love to have on your team. Even off the court, Brooks’ antagonistic persona has given us the best meme of the 2026 playoffs, trolling LeBron James while courtside at an elimination game.
Yet, focusing strictly on the theater is a disservice to his talents. With a career defensive rating of 114.2, Brooks is a proven point-of-attack specialist who consistently lowers the efficiency of some of the league's most high-volume ball handlers. Brooks was especially integral in helping the Memphis Grizzlies dismantle the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the 2022 postseason, using his physicality to slow down the explosive Anthony Edwards.
Since being traded to Phoenix this past season, Brooks has at long last flourished on offense, averaging 20.2 points per game with a .435 field goal percentage and helping the Suns return to the playoffs as their second option.
4. Andrew Wiggins
- Seasons: 2014–present
- Finals Appearances: 1
- Championships: 1
- Accolades: 1x All-Star, NBA Rookie of the Year, All-Rookie First Team
While Anthony Bennett would make history in 2013 as the first Canadian to be selected first overall in the NBA Draft, he would go on to be the biggest bust in league history. Just a year later, a Canadian would go first overall once again, only this time, the athlete would rise to the occasion.
Andrew Wiggins wasted no time making his mark, securing the Rookie of the Year award in Minnesota off of his awe-inspiring athleticism and adept scoring abilities. his ultimate basketball evolution occurred with the Golden State Warriors. Reborn as a relentless two-way menace, Wiggins snagged a 2022 All-Star starter nod—famously aided by a viral voting campaign from K-pop star BamBam—before serving as a key piece to the team’s 2022 Championship. Now, in the later half of his career, Maple Jordan remains a player who is able to provide meaningful impact, a two-way player with a cocktail of athleticism and IQ that can help push a playoff aspiring team over the edge.
3. Jamal Murray
- Seasons: 2016–present
- Finals Appearances: 1
- Championships: 1
- Accolades: 1x All-Star, All-NBA Selection, All-Rookie Second Team
It’s hard to believe that 2026 marked Jamal Murray’s first All-Star selection. The Kitchener-born point guard serves as one half of Denver’s dynamic duo, helping unlock Nikola Jokić’s game as his ultimate pick-and-roll partner.
The Nuggets have reached the playoffs every year since 2019, with Murray averaging well over 20 points per game in each of these runs (an ACL injury left him sidelined for the 2021 and 2022 postseasons). Murray’s greatness was particularly present in 2023, when he erupted in the postseason to help guide the Nuggets to their first-ever NBA championship. The "dynamic duo" label does his individual talent a disservice. As his skills continue to flourish, it should become apparent that Murray is one of the league’s most dependable point guards.
2. Steve Nash
- Seasons: 1996–2015
- Finals Appearances: 0
- Championships: 0
- Accolades: 2x NBA MVP, 8x All-Star, 7x All-NBA Selection, 5x Assists Leader, NBA 75th Anniversary Team
Before a surge of northern representation in the NBA across the mid to late 2010s, Steve Nash was the face of Canadian basketball for nearly two decades. “He instilled confidence in me at a young age,” reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said of Steve Nash, a fellow two-time MVP, passing the torch to the next Canadian to achieve the feat. For a generation of Canadians, Nash served as a literal North Star, demonstrating making it to the league was an achievable reality.
One of the best point guards of the 2000s, Nash remains one of the most accurate shooters in league history, the only four-time member of the coveted 50-40-90 Club (in which a player achieves a season with a 50% field goal percentage, 40% three-point percentage, 90% free throw percentage). During his prime years in Dallas and Phoenix, Nash led his teams to multiple deep playoff runs, making the Western Conference Finals four times throughout his eighteen seasons of play. In 2002, Nash made history as the first Canadian to be selected as an NBA All-Star. In 2005 and 2006, he earned consecutive Most Valuable Player trophies.
No matter what future Canadian talent may surpass Nash, his Hall of Fame career opened the door for a nation of hoop dreaming youth to reach for their wildest ambitions.
1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
- Seasons: 2018–present
- Finals Appearances: 1
- Championships: 1
- Accolades: 2x NBA MVP, 1x Finals MVP, 4x All-Star, 1x Clutch Player of the Year, All-NBA First Team, All-Rookie Second Team
When it’s all said and done, will the Clippers trading away five first round picks and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for Paul George go down as the worst trade in NBA history? Apart from the astonishing amount of draft capital, the true travesty for the Clips came by way of giving up their rookie from Hamilton.
As the story goes, SGA would go on to bring glory to Oklahoma City, giving the Thunder their first franchise championship since 1979 as the Seattle Supersonics. The Clippers, on the other hand, had a healthy PG-13 for all but three playoff campaigns, with a sole visit to the Conference Finals.
What makes Shai great is a refusal to be rushed. He is a timelord — there’s meticulous use of angles and footwork, a style that consistently baits defenders into fouling. To simply dub him a “free throw merchant” dismisses the craftiness that comes with creating his scoring opportunities.
“I understand why [fans] are frustrated about it,” says Gilgeous-Alexander of his free-throw-heavy game. “They’re playing against us, and in the past couple years we’ve happened to beat their team. And we beat their team because we scored more points. We scored points at the free throw line, midrange, three-point shot, free throw, everything.”
And yet, to simply chalk him up to elite offensive abilities is equally as undermining. An unrelenting worth ethic has drawn comparisons to fellow MVPs Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan. Despite his young age, Gilgeous-Alexander has also assumed the role of de facto leader of the Thunder, noted by teammates and correspondents alike for his “aura” on and off the court.
Through drafting and savvy trades Sam Presti has built the makings of a dynasty. And although SGA and company could not find the same playoff success as last year, the two-time MVP has already shattered the ceiling for what a Canadian could accomplish in the NBA.
