  Canada’s Joel Anthony, left, and France's Alain Koffi battle for a rebound in the second half of their FIBA Basketball World Championship game in Izmir on Aug. 31. (REUTERS) |
IZMIR, Turkey — He is the old man on a young team and he’s only 27.
Joel Anthony has only been part of Canada’s National Senior men’s team for four years, but he already looks upon it as family.
That’s what has kept Anthony coming back, even in the years he knew Canada were beaten before the tip off.
Those would be Anthony’s earliest years with the program when even the prospect of reaching a world championship wasn’t even a consideration.
“We would play exhibitions and that was about all,” Anthony said.
And while Anthony leaves the world championship disappointed Canada did not fare better, he leaves knowing there are better things ahead for the program. He also knows he wants to be a part of it for as long as they will have him.
“I want to help those young guys coming up,” Anthony said. “People don’t realize it but there’s a lot of talent coming up. If we can get kids like that to continue to stay in the program then tournaments like these will definitely run more in our favour.”
Anthony is referring to the likes of Kevin Pangos, Myck Kabongo, Tristin Thompson, Devoe and Cory Joseph, and of course a 15-year-old boy out of Thornhill named Andrew Wiggins whose name Canada Basketball people can barely mention without salivating.
Anthony admits he hasn’t seen any of that group play in person, but he has heard the talk, seen the accomplishments and he has played with the likes of 19-year-old Kelly Olynyk, 21-year-old Rob Sacre and 24-year-old Jevohn Shepherd and he’s convinced the combination of what is here and what is coming can be very special.
“I haven’t seen them first hand. But I definitely heard about the young players in the junior program and some others still in high school. 10 yeas ago it was nothing like that, even five years ago it wasn’t like that with two McDonald’s All-Americans and a bunch of highly recruited kids. If those kids can stick with the program, Canada Basketball will continue to get better.”
Anthony loves the national team experiences he has already had and would like to be here when that next generation makes the jump to the senior program.
“You think back to yourself,” he said referring to his own rather quiet entry onto the National team scene. “When I was young and coming up I didn’t have half the pedigree that these kids have in terms of being ranked and all that. Anything I can do to make them successful, whatever fashion it is, I would like to be around for a few years yet to help the program.”
Anthony though has another team that he expects will provide an even biggest roller-coaster ride than the one he has had in the national program.
Anthony returns to the Miami Heat in a few weeks where he’ll see the familiar faces of Dwyane Wade, Udonis Haslem and Mario Chalmers and a few new faces in LeBron James and Chris Bosh.
It’s a scenario that should help Anthony get over any frustrations he takes home from this competition.
