From Ontario to the NBA Finals: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Andrew Nembhard Lead Canada’s Basketball Boom

Childhood Rivals Turned NBA Finalists

From backyard courts in Ontario to the bright lights of the NBA Finals, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Andrew Nembhard’s basketball journeys have long been intertwined. Both grew up navigating Canada’s budding basketball scene, competing against each other as kids, later becoming teammates on the national stage, and now, battling for the NBA championship on opposite sides.

Game 1: A Canadian Clash

In a Finals opener defined by two small-market teams, the subplot between Gilgeous-Alexander and Nembhard was one of familiarity and pride. Sharing the floor at this level for the first time, their showdown was as fierce as it was meaningful. The two exchanged a brief shove mid-game, nothing malicious, just pure competitiveness between two players who know each other too well.

“It was fun,” said Gilgeous-Alexander of the moment. “It’s everything you dream about as a kid.”

Nembhard echoed the sentiment: “Walking onto the court was something you live for... the crowd, the noise—it all just came together.”

The Job of Guarding an MVP

Nembhard was tasked with the unenviable job of defending the reigning MVP. Though Gilgeous-Alexander poured in 38 points, Nembhard made him work for every inch, contributing 14 points, 6 assists, and relentless defense in Indiana’s improbable comeback win.

“There are no breaks guarding him,” said Nembhard. “It’s a 48-minute job for our whole team.”

Pacers coach Rick Carlisle praised Nembhard’s focus, noting, “He has an equal commitment on both ends of the floor, which is rare in today’s game.”

Bond Forged in Red and White

Before facing off as adversaries, the two shared the locker room for Team Canada, including during the 2024 Paris Olympics. Though that campaign ended with a disappointing fifth-place finish, it further solidified the mutual respect between them.

“He’s a competitor, a winner,” Gilgeous-Alexander said of Nembhard. “He plays the right way.”

A Historic Moment for Canadian Hoops

Game 1 marked a milestone for basketball in Canada: for the first time, three Canadians, Gilgeous-Alexander, Nembhard, and Lu Dort, started in an NBA Finals game. Indiana’s Bennedict Mathurin played 16 minutes on Wednesday as the fourth Canadian on the floor. As of the 2024–25 NBA season, there are 52 Canadian-born players in the league, the highest number from any country outside the U.S. This means that 7.7% of the players born in Canada, are playing in the Finals.

Pride, Pressure, and Representation

Both players have spoken about what it means to represent Canada at this level. For a generation of young Canadian hoopers, their presence in the Finals is proof of how far the sport has come.

“I try not to think of myself as just a third-year player,” said Gilgeous-Alexander. “Pressure is a privilege.”

Nembhard, calm and composed, added: “I’m only 25,I bounce back quick. You just focus on getting better every game.”

Looking Ahead

As the series unfolds, the duel between these two Canadian stars promises to be a compelling narrative within the Finals. With mutual respect, shared history, and national pride woven into every possession, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Andrew Nembhard aren’t just playing for a ring, they’re representing the rise of Canadian basketball on its grandest stage yet.

NBA Finals 2025 Coverage

OKC Thunder NBA Finals 

Coaches Corner 

Keys to the NBA Finals for the Oklahoma City Thunder 

Get to know the foe: Where Thunder stands against the Pacers 

⁠Thunder Player POV 

⁠Community Stories