Consistency in any professional sport is challenging, but for players like Trae Bell-Haynes, it is his ultimate motivation.

“You don’t really stop [playing], it seems like there’s something every summer, every break there’s something else - so I’m grateful that I’m always a part of it, I’m always called upon,” says Bell-Haynes.

The Toronto-born guard is currently in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, getting ready to hit the court as Canada’s Senior Men’s National Team hopes to qualify for the 2025 FIBA AmeriCup this week.

Bell-Haynes is a longtime veteran with Canada’s Senior Men’s National Team, appearing in many qualifying windows, including a historic bronze medal at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup and placing fourth at the previous FIBA AmeriCup in 2022.

He’s no stranger to the national team system, even making it as far as being named to the Olympic Training Camp Roster.

“I think just always the perspective that every time you're called, it's an honour, and I don't want to ever feel like I [expect] to be called…I always want to be surprised and realize that my play during the season or the last season has earned that call,” he said.

“It's hard to say no when you have the opportunity to just put on the shirt with your country's name on it. Not a lot of people get to do it. It was my dream as a kid, and every time I'm grateful to do it.”

Bell-Haynes has experienced nearly every basketball stage – from rookie to Olympic Qualifying Tournaments – and learned from his veterans to become one. He remembers each of his experiences with the team, going back to getting called to wear the red and white for the first time in 2017.

In that time, he has grown a lot as a player – and is having one of his best seasons overseas in Spain. During the FIBA Europe Cup with Casademont Zaragoza, Bell-Haynes is averaging 13.8 points per game – shooting the ball at a higher efficiency – with his assist numbers jumping from 3.3 to 6.8 per game.

Bell-Haynes attributes it to “comfort in the [team’s] system,” saying that it is the first time he has returned to the same team in his career. Knowing what’s expected of him and having a good rapport with the coach and the team has given him the confidence to elevate his game, especially as a leader.

“As a point guard, you're an extension of the coach no matter what the team is,” said Bell-Haynes. “Every year, I've gotten a little bit better in being able to lead my team through tough situations, keep my poise…but in a more skillset way, I think I'm taking better care of the ball, less turnovers.”

“In my position, especially the way I play, I'm going to take some risks with the ball passes, trying to make plays.”

He will now look to lead this team to another undefeated week during the second window of the 2025 FIBA AmeriCup Qualifiers. Canada currently sits undefeated at the top of Group C after going 2-0 against Nicaragua in February.

“We have a few new guys this window and probably a group that, I mean half of the guys that have played a bunch, [Aaron Best] being the most veteran. So, just being together, being focused, staying in the moment, and then paying attention to detail with a new group and not that many days of practice, it's going to be hard for everybody to be on the same page, but just making sure that we’re locked in and learning our strengths and weaknesses,” said Bell-Haynes.

If they go undefeated again, Canada can qualify for the 2025 FIBA AmeriCup, doing so on home soil.

“For us, it's all about defending home soil. And we know that if we win both of these games, we'll have a good chance at qualifying. And that has to be the immediate goal for us. So that's kind of focus number one. We know both these teams; they're going to be two tough games, so we have to put our best foot forward and respect the competition.”

More determined than ever, Bell-Haynes is grinding his way to the top – finding consistency and leadership along the way.