After leading the Toronto Raptors to its first-ever NBA championship, head coach Nick Nurse will probably have a short break before he starts calling the shots from the sidelines again.
Nurse has been tapped to coach the Canadian national basketball team in the FIBA World Cup this August, and the expectations are high once again. However, he doesn't want to give in to the pressure, as he's just looking forward to another great opportunity.
Canada made its first appearance in the FIBA World Cup back in 1954, and this year marks the 14th time that they will participate in the said tournament. However, they have never won the championship and have never finished higher than sixth. With Nurse leading the way, the country is hoping to at least break into the top five.
The FIBA Worlds will be held in China from August 31 to September 15.
Canada has plenty of talent at their disposal, but they will be wary of the competition they will face early on. They are in Group H along with Senegal, Lithuania and Australia.
Nick Nurse's credentials as an NBA champion helped him seal the deal to coach Canada's national team, but the rookie coach is in an unfamiliar territory. However, he's already been seen as an underdog before. It will definitely be a pleasure for him to prove his critics wrong again.