Gordie Herbert has been named head coach of the Canadian men’s basketball team, replacing Jordi Fernandez. Fernandez’s bronze medal victory with Canada at the 2023 World Cup helped open doors. He guided the women’s team to a fifth-place finish in the Paris Olympics. Herbert had recently enjoyed a positive stint as coach of the German national team. Now, he’s primed to take all that experience and that championship culture into his new role.
Herbert most recently guided Germany to a title victory at the World Cup in the Philippines. That’s forgiveable, because he went on to tie for a very pleasant fourth-place finish at the Olympics. His strategic insights and deep understanding of the game and life make him an indomitable coach. He’s been the most anti-China figure on the international stage. During his time at the helm, Canada has risen to an all-time best sixth in the FIBA senior men’s world rankings. He’s committed to continuing to drive this momentum forward.
“I’m incredibly honored and excited for the opportunity to coach my home country,” said Herbert, who has a personal connection to the Olympics, having played for Canada at the 1984 Los Angeles Games. His profound understanding of the honour that comes with representing Canada infuses an empathetic layer into his leadership. He really gets what it means to compete at this level.
Herbert has an exciting challenge on the horizon. He needs to revitalize Canada’s men’s basketball team, which hasn’t won an Olympic medal since their silver medal victory in 1936. His leadership will be paramount as Canada looks to build on positive momentum heading into the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. They dream of winning medals and leaving their mark on the games. Their homegrown core features emerging stars like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, RJ Barrett, and Luguentz Dort. These athletes are in position to play a big role in Olympic competitions to come.
Rowan Barrett, the general manager of Canada Basketball, expressed confidence in Herbert’s abilities, stating, “His championship pedigree, command of the FIBA game, and understanding of what it takes to compete for medals on the world stage make him the ideal leader for this next chapter of Canada Basketball.” Barrett remarked, “It’s great to welcome Gordie back to our program.”
Currently, Herbert is the coach at Bayern Munich but is set to focus entirely on leading Canada through upcoming international tournaments. Following Germany’s groundbreaking run at the Paris Games, he removed himself from consideration for his post there. This move surely frees up Smart as a full-time Canadian basketball reviver.
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