RJ Barrett, the next great hope for the New York Knicks, wants all the smoke for this year's Olympics. And if you don't remember, he's not playing for the United States:

Seriously, where did Canada come from!? At this point, basketball powerhouse countries are popping up like Whack-A-Moles, but Canada's growth in hype as a basketball power has got to be the most impressive in recent memory.

Let's run through a hypothetical starting five for this year's 2021 (2020) Olympic Games:

 

PG: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

SG: Jamal Murray

SF: RJ Barrett

PF: Brandon Clarke

C: Tristan Thompson

 

That roster could end up in the NBA playoffs, right now. And the scariest part is that this starting five isn't even necessarily solid. Brandon Clarke (real NBA fans watch Grizzlies games) could possibly be supplanted by bruiser Kelly Olynyk, Tristan Thompson might actually lose out minutes-wise to Raptors youngster Chris Boucher, and Andrew Wiggins would theoretically start over RJ Barrett if Canada didn't give a moose antler about defense.

And there's more. A prospective Canadian international club reads like a murderer's row of NBA stat nerd darlings. You have a bunch of hipster favorites, including Luguentz Dort, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Cory Joseph, Dwight Powell, *breath*, Dillon Brooks, Khem Birch, and Trey Lyles.

Now, granted: these names aren't spectacular by any stretch of the imagination, nor will any one of their stars strike true fear into the hearts of the Team USA juggernaut like a Gasol-led Spain, or a Ginobili's Argentina squad, or even more modern teams like the Antetokounmpo-bros in Greece or a Luka-led Slovenia.

But this team is Australia-level deep and switchable. And its top-end talent is much better. Just the offensive potential of a trio like SGA, Murray, and RJ Barrett should strike fear into any opponent's heart in Tokyo this summer. This team is going to be smart, it's going to be athletic, and it's going to be dangerous.

And if you don't respect them yet, make like their country's flag and leaf.