TORONTO (Nov. 14th, 2024) — From smashing career highs in the NBA to continuing to make an impact in the NCAA and overseas – let’s catch up on your favourite Canadian stars around the globe in this week’s edition of The Naismith Notes:

Canadians in the NBA continue to enter the history books

It’s been a record-breaking week for several of Canada’s NBA athletes – as career highs were set across the league.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who continues to take the OKC Thunder under his leadership, was the tallest player in their starting lineup on Monday night - you read that right - as he dropped a career-high 45 points in a 134-128 win against the LA Clippers. With Chet Holmgren being the latest on the injury report with a pelvic fracture, Gilgeous-Alexander leads the way as the Thunder jump to a 9-2 start to the season.

In addition to scoring 45 points, Gilgeous-Alexander’s nine assists, five steals, and two blocks mark the first time in NBA history a player has reached these numbers in a single game, per StatMamba.

Meanwhile, in Indiana, Bennedict Mathurin also set a career-high in points. The Pacers defeated the New York Knicks 132-121 as Mathurin exploded for 38 points and eight rebounds, knocking down seven three, going 13-18 from the floor. His 38 points were a career-high and a team-high alongside Tyrese Haliburton’s 35 to secure the victory.

Two more Canadians are making noise in the NBA - in two different ways. Zach Edey, who went from the NCAA Division l Men’s Basketball Championship Game in April to getting drafted ninth overall to the Memphis Grizzlies, is having a stellar rookie season - currently averaging 11.3 points per game, 6.8 rebounds per game, and is shooting 62.2 percent from the field, 6th in the NBA.

Edey leads in Rookie of the Year projections, sitting at the top as the Grizzlies go on a three-game win streak - and is being called the “steal of the draft.”

On the other side, NBA veteran Jamal Murray entered the Canadian NBA history books on November 8 in a win against the Miami Heat, making four three-pointers and becoming just the third Canadian in NBA history to reach 1000 career threes. Canadian Olympian Steve Nash and NBA Champion Andrew Wiggins were the first to achieve this milestone.

Jamal Murray and the Denver Nuggets are on an impressive five-game win streak - hoping to get back into contender conversations. 

Canadians take over NCAA season headlines

Following a star-studded opening week in the NCAA, Canadians in college basketball continued to show out in week two. To begin – Syla Swords, Delaney Gibb, and Will Riley all racked up freshman of the week awards in each of their conferences.

In Big 10 basketball, Swords continues to lead the Michigan Wolverines. After dropping 27 points and 12 rebounds in her debut against South Carolina, the Big 10 Freshman of the Week she followed up with a 20 point, six rebound, and five assist performance to give Michigan their first win of the season against the Lehigh Mountain Hawks.

Swords is averaging a near-double-double in her first two games and looks to continue her success on Thursday, November 14 at 7:00 p.m. ET on B1G+ (available in Canada).

On the men’s side, Illinois rookie Will Riley was also named Big Ten Freshman of the Week. Kitchener rising star Riley, who set the Illini freshman debut scoring record with 31 points last week, is averaging 17.7 points through Illinois’ first three wins of the season.

Riley and the Fighting Illini will take on the number two-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide on November 20 at 9:00 p.m. ET on the SEC Network.

Delaney Gibb is having about the best start to her first NCAA season with BYU as you can expect from the Big 12 Freshman of the Week. Gibb is averaging 19.3 points through her first week of Big 12 basketball – including 22 points, six rebounds, and six assists against Wyoming. 

BYU improves to 3-0 on the season and faces Idaho State on Saturday at 9:00 p.m. ET.

Two more debuts this week as Villanova rookie Jasmine Bascoe scored 18 points, five assists, and captured three steals as the Wildcats came back to defeat Wake Forest 64-56 – and Texas A&M transfer Tineya “Tstar” Hylton with a career-high 20 points in her debut with the Cincinnati Bearcats.

In breaking news, 2024 FIBA U17 Women’s Basketball World Cup silver medalist Deniya Prawl announced her college commitment on Monday night, saying that she would be playing for the Tennessee Lady Vols in the 2025-26 NCAA season.

Prawl averaged 11.9 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game for Canada’s U17 Women’s National Team over the summer and was a five-star recruit, ranked #14 by ESPN. Prior to announcing her commitment, she had narrowed down her choices to offers from Notre Dame, Baylor, and her ultimate choice – Tennessee.

Rounding out the NCAA headlines is Gonzaga senior Yvonne Ejim – who made her Olympic debut with Canada’s Senior Women’s National Team this summer. Ejim is averaging a near double-double through two games - including a 17-point & 10-rebound performance in an 82-69 win over Montana.

Ejim and the Bulldogs will look to get back on track following a tough loss to Stanford and will play California on Thursday, November 14, at 9:00 p.m. ET.

Overseas Tracker: 3x3, SWNT, and SMNT athletes make waves overseas

It was a busy season for the 3x3 Women’s National Team, who made another deep run in the FIBA 3x3 Women’s Series – while qualifying and falling just short of a medal at their first-ever Olympic Games — and for Olympic alternate Cass Brown, the grind never stops.

A starter for the Mainland Pouākai in New Zealand, Brown was named game MVP in their win against the Kāhu with 24 points, 14 rebounds, and three steals.

Over in Italy, Mfiondu Kabengele dominated for Venezia with 18 points and 11 rebounds in a tight one-point loss in EuroCup play. Kabengele was named to the SMNT Olympic Training Camp over the summer and has been crashing the glass overseas.

His SMNT training camp teammate Trae Bell-Haynes is also playing at a high level overseas in Spain for Zarazoga. He scored 15 points on 50 percent shooting in their most recent win over Levickí Patrioti.

Both Kabengele and Bell-Haynes have been selected to Canada’s Senior Men’s National Team preliminary roster ahead of the second window of the FIBA Men’s AmeriCup Qualifiers 2025 in Saskatoon this November.

Bringing it back around the world, two-time Olympian Laeticia Amihere is making things shake with the Perth Lynx in Australia. Over her last two games, Amihere has 36 total points and eight rebounds – including 17 points in Perth’s most recent win.

With players like Bridget Carleton officially starting overseas play, and more Canadians showing up across different leagues, November is shaping up to be a busy month of Canadian basketball—and fans can stay updated with weekly Naismith Notes.