Dwight Powell agrees to 3-year commitment to play for Canadian National Team

The Dallas Mavericks made a run to the Western Conference Finals, but the work is just beginning. They want to keep building on their success, and fans know growth is not always linear in the NBA. It will take a summer of work to make another deep playoff run, and the Mavs are already committing to it.

The Canadian National Team announced that Dwight Powell was part of the group that committed to playing for the team for the next three years through the 2024 Olympics. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jamal Murray, and RJ Barrett headline Canada’s squad under head coach Nick Nurse with Andrew Wiggins being notably absent from their list.

Powell has played for the Canadian National Team since 2015 and was part of their squad at the Olympic Qualifiers last summer that lost to the Czech Republic. Canada was favored to reach the Olympics, but the loss prevented them from qualifying for the games in Tokyo.

Dwight Powell agrees to 3-year commitment to play for Canadian National Team

Canada will hold a training camp this summer before hosting a World Cup qualifying game in Hamilton on July 1 against the Dominican Republic.

Powell will be competing with Khem Birch and Kelly Olynyk for minutes at the five. The Mavericks big man was Canada’s starting center in all three Olympic Qualifying games last summer, and he is the favorite to start at the five in their World Cup qualifier in July.

Powell will not be the only Maverick playing for his country this summer. EuroBasket 2022 takes place in September, and Luka Doncic is expected to lead Slovenia as they attempt to defend their title. Boban Marjanovic will likely play for Serbia, and Frank Ntilikina is expected to be part of the French squad in the event.

Dwight Powell is committed to a three-year run with his national team as Canada attempts to qualify for the Olympics for the tenth time in history. They fell just short last summer, but their young and hungry squad should only improve heading into the games in 2024. Powell will be the veteran leader of the group as they attempt to grab a medal at the Olympics for the first time since 1936.