Canada has long been associated with hockey, but now basketball is increasing in popularity. Canadian players are more prominent in the NBA than ever before, the national programme has become stronger, and younger players now have homegrown stars they can aspire to match.
Just take a look at the NBA to see just how much things have changed. Canada had 23 players on opening-night rosters for the 2025/26 season. That’s more than any country outside the United States for the 12th consecutive year. That depth suggests Canadian basketball is no longer dependent on producing just an occasional outstanding player.
The Raptors Helped Build a Basketball Audience
The Toronto Raptors have been a huge part of all of this. They entered the NBA in 1915, and their presence means that Canadians have the chance to support a home team that competes in the world’s top league. The championship in 2019 ensured interest grew to an entirely new level.
Toronto beat the Golden State Warriors in six games, and this saw them become the first NBA team based outside of the US to win the championship. This went to show younger Canadian players that basketball was no longer limited to American sides.
The Raptors aren’t solely responsible for Canada’s progress. Grassroots programmes, schools, universities and Canadian players developing through the NCAA system have all contributed. However, three decades of NBA basketball in Toronto have helped make the sport a familiar part of Canadian life.
Canadian Players Are Making an Impact
The strength in Canada isn’t just because of the sheer number of players making it in the NBA. More importantly, several of these players have become top stars on leading teams.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is perhaps the clearest example. The Hamilton-born guard won the 2024/25 NBA MVP award and helped the Oklahoma City Thunder win the 2025 championship. He was also Finals MVP. The following season, he remained at the front of the MVP discussion while averaging more than 31 points per game during the closing stages of the regular season.
Jamal Murray has also reached the top of the sport. He played a central role in the Denver Nuggets’ 2023 championship. RJ Barrett, Dillon Brooks, Luguentz Dort, Andrew Nembhard, Shaedon Sharpe and Nickeil Alexander-Walker provide further examples of Canadian players establishing significant NBA careers.
Ontario Is Producing Leading Players
Ontario is an area that has seen real success with the development of players. Gilgeous-Alexander is from Hamilton, Murray from Kitchener, and Barrett from Mississauga. Then there is Andrew Wiggins, who grew up in the Greater Toronto area.
This is important for the next generation of upcoming talent. Young basketball players can now watch athletes from communities relatively close to their own competing against the NBA’s biggest stars. Canada has moved from having a small number of recognisable professionals to having players spread across the league.
Greater interest also creates commercial activity around the sport. Broadcasting, sponsorship, merchandise and ticket sales all benefit from a larger audience, while online basketball betting has become another part of the industry in Ontario since the province opened its regulated competitive internet gaming market in April 2022.
The National Team Has Higher Expectations
Canada now also expects much more from its national team. As a country that has numerous NBA players at its disposal, there is no reason why it shouldn’t be competing against top sides, rather than merely qualifying.
Canada gave us a glimpse of that progress with a bronze at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup competition. Achieving this saw them beat the US on the way and was Canada’s first medal at the men’s World Cup.
Basketball Is Part of a Bigger Ontario Sports Market
The commercial growth surrounding sport has taken place alongside significant changes to Ontario’s entertainment sector. The province’s regulated online gaming market now includes sports betting, poker and casino products. As of July 22, 2026, iGaming Ontario listed 48 operators and 82 regulated gaming websites.
Some platforms combine sports markets with other products such as slots and live casino games, creating businesses covering several forms of online entertainment through a single account. Ontario requires users of its regulated competitive market to be at least 19 and physically located within the province.
The growth of that sector is only one element of basketball’s wider commercial impact. Professional basketball also supports broadcasting, advertising, sponsorship, hospitality and merchandise, while major games can generate significant attention for bars and other businesses showing live sport.
Canada Has Built a Strong Foundation
Perhaps the biggest change is that Canadian basketball now has its own stars. Young players don’t need to look exclusively to the United States for examples of what can be achieved in the sport.
Hockey remains central to Canada’s sporting identity, but basketball doesn’t need to replace it to demonstrate its progress. Canada is producing elite players consistently, competing internationally and maintaining the NBA’s largest group of players from outside the United States. Basketball has established itself as a major Canadian sport.
