TORONTO (May 26, 2023) -- Canada Basketball announced today that Nathaniel Mitchell is returning as head coach of Canada’s U23 Men’s National Team that will compete this summer at GLOBL JAM.

“Excited and grateful for the opportunity to be back representing my country at this year's GLOBL JAM,” said Mitchell.  “Not only is it another opportunity to compete, but also grow the game in Canada while playing at home.” 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Toronto&#39;s very own 🫡 <a href="https://t.co/vFThKW5pVA">https://t.co/vFThKW5pVA</a><a href="https://t.co/oeGfPDYZ5b">pic.twitter.com/oeGfPDYZ5b</a></p>&mdash; Canada Basketball (@CanBball) <a href="https://twitter.com/CanBball/status/1662165191579119616?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 26, 2023</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

GLOBL JAM, the world-class international basketball showcase, returns to Toronto this summer, July 12-16, and will feature women’s and men’s Under-23 teams from around the world taking to the court at Toronto’s Mattamy Athletic Centre and broadcast nationally across Sportsnet platforms.

Mitchell returns to the helm for Canada after serving as the head coach of the men’s team at GLOBL JAM last summer. Mitchell also has experience with the Senior Men’s National Team since 2016 and was a part of the coaching staff during FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 Qualifiers, where Canada finished 11-1 en route to qualifying for this summer’s World Cup. Mitchell was also the head coach for Canada at the FIBA Men’s AmeriCup 2022 last summer in Brazil, where the team finished fourth. 

The Toronto native spent the last two seasons as an assistant coach with the Toronto Raptors alongside fellow Senior Men’s National Team coaches Nick Nurse and Nate Bjorkgren. Before joining the Raptors, Mitchell spent three seasons (2018-21) with the Charlotte Hornets before four seasons at the G League level as an assistant with the Raptors 905 and the Maine Red Claws. During his coaching career, he has also been involved in Giants of Africa and Basketball Without Borders initiatives, helping the game grow internationally. 

Mitchell’s staff will look very similar to last summer. Dave DeAveiro, Jamie McNeilly, Scott Morrison, and Kalisha Keane will each be assistant coaches with Canada after all being a part of the coaching staff in 2022.

For the second-straight year DeAveiro, the Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Bold men’s basketball team head coach, will coach for Canada in the familiar confines of the Mattamy Athletic Centre — home of the Bold. He has a wealth of experience coaching for Canada, including spending six summers as a head coach at the U16 and U17 age group, helping lead Canada to a second-place finish at the 2015 FIBA Americas Men’s U16 Championship in Argentina. He also has coaching experience at the Senior level and the Development level with Canada Basketball. Before taking the helm at TMU, DeAveiro was the head coach for the McGill Redbirds for ten seasons and Ottawa Gee-Gees for nine seasons.

McNeilly is also set to rejoin Mitchell’s staff this summer after wrapping up his second season as an assistant coach with the Texas Christian University (TCU) Horned Frogs men’s basketball team. In two seasons at TCU, McNeilly has helped the Horned Frogs to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances for the first time in 70 years. Prior to joining TCU, he had seven years of coaching experience at the NCAA level after stints as an associate head coach at Texas A&M and assistant coach at Virginia Tech. Originally from Toronto, he has coached the national team program since 2011, including as an assistant at the FIBA U19 Men’s Basketball World Cup 2017, when Canada won the country’s first gold medal in an international FIBA competition.  Before beginning his coaching career, McNeilly represented Canada as a player, starring at a pair of World University Games — including at the 2007 Universiade in Thailand, where he led the team to a bronze medal as a team captain.

Morrison, fresh off his first season as the head coach of the Salt Lake Stars, G League affiliate of the Utah Jazz, will return to coach Canada this summer. Morrison, who made his Canada Basketball debut in 2012, remains in the fold 11 years after helping Canada win bronze at the 2012 FIBA Men’s Americas U18 Championship. Morrison will look to return to the podium once again with Canada as he reprises his role as an assistant coach on Mitchell’s staff at GLOBL JAM. Morrison is no stranger to working alongside Mitchell, as the pair coached alongside each other with the G-League’s Maine Red Claws.  On top of a lengthy list of coaching experiences with the National Team, the Morell, PEI native spent four seasons as an assistant coach with the Boston Celtics and a season as the head coach of the Perth Wildcats in the National Basketball League, the top professional men's basketball league in Australia and New Zealand.

After taking an apprentice coach role on Mitchell’s staff last summer at GLOBL JAM, Keane will return to GLOBL JAM this summer as an assistant coach. Keane comes to the team fresh off her first season as an assistant coach with the Dayton Flyers women’s basketball team, a position she took on in April after three seasons as an assistant at Long Island University. The Michigan State alumna is no stranger to Canada Basketball, having suited up for the Senior Women’s National Team at a pair of FIBA Women’s Americas Championships, including in 2011 when she won a bronze medal.

Canada will face the United States (University of Kentucky), Germany, and the African Continent U23 Men’s Select Team in round-robin action before the top two teams face off for gold on July 16th.

Tickets are now on sale via Ticketmaster, starting at less than $20 per session for two games.  Fans can also secure seats to all six Team Canada men’s and women’s round-robin games and the gold medal championship game with the Team Canada Gold pack for as low as $76.

Sportsnet, Canada’s #1 sports media brand, returns as the exclusive broadcaster of GLOBL JAM FIVES, delivering full-court coverage across its national TV and streaming platforms. Full coverage details, including the broadcast team and schedule, will be announced at a later date.

For more information on GLOBL JAM, including game schedule, ticket information, volunteer opportunities and more, visit globljam.ca.