TORONTO (August 8, 2025) – Canada Basketball has announced the pool of coaches who will guide the Senior Men’s National Team through the LA 2028 Olympic quad, as the program continues to elevate standards and establish lasting continuity across FIBA competition windows.

Led by General Manager and Executive Vice-President, Men’s High Performance, Rowan Barrett, in collaboration with Gordie Herbert, Head Coach of the Senior Men’s National Team, the coaching group reflects the program’s commitment to aligning elite experience, tactical cohesion and national pride under the banner of “Best in the World. Best for Canada.”

While Herbert was appointed head coach earlier this year, he is unable to assume full bench duties until the summer of 2026 due to contractual obligations. In the interim, the newly appointed coaching pool will lead Canada through key international windows and competitions, beginning with the 2025 FIBA Men’s AmeriCup, set for August 22–31 in Managua, Nicaragua.

“With the increasing demands of the international calendar, and a dynamic, evolving player pool, it’s essential that our coaching infrastructure reflects both flexibility and alignment,” said Barrett. “This group represents the best of Canadian basketball – with proven success across the NBA, FIBA, Olympics, and European professional leagues – and will play a critical role as we build toward LA 2028.”

The current pool of assistants and skill development coaches includes Matt Gray, JD Jackson, Jama Mahlalela, Nathaniel Mitchell, Scott Morrison, Hanno Möttölä, Ashton Smith, Shawn Swords, and Patrick Tatham. The pool ensures tactical consistency and cultural alignment across the program, strengthening Canada’s ability to compete at the highest level.

Assignments for each international window or tournament will be announced based on roster makeup and coach availability. 

Mitchell to lead Canada at 2025 FIBA Men’s AmeriCup

Returning to the helm for a second time at this stage, Nathaniel Mitchell has been named Head Coach of Canada’s Senior Men’s National Team for the 2025 FIBA Men’s AmeriCup, and will be joined by assistant coaches Smith, Swords, and Tatham.

Mitchell previously served as head coach at the 2022 FIBA Men’s AmeriCup, where Canada finished fourth against a competitive field in Recife, Brazil. Training camp for this summer’s tournament opens August 12 at the OVO Athletic Centre in Toronto.

“The AmeriCup provides a valuable opportunity to build chemistry and depth across our roster,” said Mitchell. “I’m honoured to once again lead the national team and continue the momentum that’s been built over the past few years. Representing Canada never gets old.”

Canada enters the new quad on the heels of historic success. The senior men’s program qualified for the Olympic Games for the first time since Sydney 2000, competing at the Paris Olympics a year ago. Two summers ago, Canada captured bronze at the FIBA Men’s Basketball World Cup 2023, the country’s first-ever medal at the event.

Following the AmeriCup, the next chapter begins this November, as Canada opens qualification for the FIBA Men’s Basketball World Cup 2027, which will be hosted in Qatar. 

Each international window – including this summer’s AmeriCup – represents another step on the road to Los Angeles 2028, where the program has set its sights on the Olympic podium.

Canada Basketball’s ability to attract world-class coaching talent has been bolstered by philanthropic support, including ongoing investments from the Dani Reiss Family Foundation, whose contributions have helped strengthen the national team’s high-performance pathway. These resources have supported the recruitment, development, and retention of elite coaching professionals — all with a singular goal: to be the best in the world, and the best for Canada.