Dalembert becomes Canadian citizen....playing in FIBA America's

[Twiens]

The Haitian Sensation is now officially a Canadian citizen. On Tuesday morning at 10:00am EST in a private ceremony Samuel Dalembert became the country's newest citizen in Hamilton, Ontario. The Score is there and exclusive footage of the proceedings can be seen today on To The Point and tonight The Score Tonight.

For both Dalembert and Team Canada Head Coach Leo Rautins it has been a long road to get to this point. During a live Raptors game broadcast last NBA season, Rautins explained that Dalembert had every piece of legal Canadian paperwork…except for his passport. Then, one week ago today, a privy meeting was held to decide if the Philadelphia 76ers center would have his citizenship hearing fast-tracked due to his outstanding community service and the fact that he still keeps residence in Canada.

"These have been anxious times for us, waiting for an answer" explained Rautins during Team Canada's training camp. "Now, to have a player of Sam's caliber join our team…the effect will be tremendous on both ends of the floor."

His effect will also be felt off the court as well.

"When I played for Team Canada, it was my blood on the floor everyday for this team," said Wayne Yearwood an 8-year Canadian team player and current assistant coach. "A guy like that, to go out of his way to put himself in a situation where he could help his country and help us on this team…that speaks volumes."

With Steve Nash unavailable for the upcoming Olympic Qualifier in Las Vegas, Rautins is still holding out hope for one other NBA All Star.

"There is still a chance that Jamaal Magloire will play for his country," Rautins said. "We have been in contact and now Sam and I both want to talk to him to gauge his interest."

Sweet. It'll be nice to actually have an NBA player on our team again. Our bigmen are pretty horrible.

[Make It Rain]

Lmao. That's the only way he can make a national team. No way he'll ever be good enough to be considered for the US Team.

[bjtrdff]

Nice irrelevant post makeitrain.




Too bad Magliore wasn't a donkey and Nash wasn't half crippled. Magliore playing would set us up in our front court, and with Nash playing even limited minutes, we would be looking good.

Oh well, maybe at next year's olympic qualifier.

[bk33]

huh, didn't even know Leo got the gig.

[KWALI]

What a coup by Leo I mean that has always be teh Canadian teams weakness...they aren't that bad guard wise but in teh bigs they were always outmanned even by teams like PR...Cus Todd got that disease...Maggs trying to cake up etc.

[Fluffy Bird]

wow, good news for once for Canada. Too bad Nash wasn't playing. With Dalembert and potentially Magloire up front that makes a huge difference, the loss to Puerto Rico and in turn the loss of the last spot for the WC was because PR owned the inside. Jamaal barely played last NBA season, maybe he is up for it?

Does anyone know if Carl English or Denham Brown are playing?

Someone on here should start a campaign to get Nash to play, tell him it is charity or something, he might be up for it.

[Skywalker]

huh, didn't even know Leo got the gig.

it's not like they talked about it 100 times on Raptors broadcasts last year.

Do you watch your Raps games with Chinese commentators?

[Burgz]

Originally Posted by Fluffy Bird

wow, good news for once for Canada. Too bad Nash wasn't playing. With Dalembert and potentially Magloire up front that makes a huge difference, the loss to Puerto Rico and in turn the loss of the last spot for the WC was because PR owned the inside. Jamaal barely played last NBA season, maybe he is up for it?

Does anyone know if Carl English or Denham Brown are playing?

Someone on here should start a campaign to get Nash to play, tell him it is charity or something, he might be up for it.

carl english is playing, im not sure about denham brown though i cant remember

i hope we do well, i cant stand another simpsons joke about our national team haha

[Optimus Prime]

Good. Dalembert needs the practice. Badly.

[i seen hippos]

Originally Posted by Skywalker

it's not like they talked about it 100 times on Raptors broadcasts last year.

Do you watch your Raps games with Chinese commentators?

hahaha....I was about to mention that.

I swear sometimes they said it loud enough in hopes that Triano could hear them.

[kumquat]

Continuing canada's fine tradition of big men from wennington to dalembert.

[i seen hippos]

Originally Posted by kumquat

Continuing canada's fine tradition of big men from wennington to dalembert.

William ("Bill") Percey Wennington (born December 26, 1963 in Montreal, Quebec) is a retired Canadian basketball player in the National Basketball Association who won three NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls: the 1996, 1997 and 1998 teams. A center, he was also a member of two Canadian Olympic Basketball Teams (1984 and 1992) and the 1983 World University Games team that won gold against the USA. Wennington has been inducted into the Quebec Basketball Hall of Fame, Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame and Carey 306 Hall of Fame at St. John's University, in New York City

>

Rasheed.

[Fluffy Bird]

Originally Posted by kumquat

Continuing canada's fine tradition of big men from wennington to dalembert.

Mike Smrek owns

[Twiens]

Yea, Im sure Denham Brown's playing. They interviewed him on the Score about the Dalembert addition, and he was at the ACC with the rest of the team practicing......

[kwajo]

Carl English shot like 50% from 3 in Europe recently, I think he'll make a killing at the FIBA Americas.

Newfies Unite!