Canadian Coach Triano: We Have Target on our Backs

Nowadays, opponents see Canada much differently and that makes sense, considering only the powerhouse United States has more NBA players. This Canadian squad has eight NBAers (nine if Brampton’s Melvin Ejim makes the Orlando Magic’s roster in a couple of months).

They aren’t quite the Ugly Americans, the bullies of basketball who have always stood head and shoulders above the rest of the world talent-wise, but they are the favourites, perhaps the heavy favourites, heading into the FIBA Americas Olympic qualifying tournament. And they seem to be enjoying the switch from being perennial hunters to the hunted.

“I believe we have a little bit of a target on our backs,” head coach Jay Triano told a couple of media outlets after Canada’s first practice here on Saturday.

Source: Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun