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Canada Basketball: Top five Canadians in the NBA

By Go Paolo

TORONTO, CANADA - JANUARY 30: The jersey of Andrew Wiggins #22 of the Minnesota Timberwolves as seen during the game against the Toronto Raptors on January 30, 2018 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Mark Blinch/NBAE via Getty Images)
TORONTO, CANADA - JANUARY 30: The jersey of Andrew Wiggins #22 of the Minnesota Timberwolves as seen during the game against the Toronto Raptors on January 30, 2018 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Mark Blinch/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Canada Basketball
Canada Basketball – Cory Joseph (Photo by Ron Turenne/NBAE via Getty Images) /

5. Cory Joseph (G)

An NBA Champion with the San Antonio Spurs and the captain of the Canadian national team, Cory Joseph will best be remembered by Raptors fans for his two-year stint with the team from 2015 to 2017.

“CoJo” was a boon for the Raptors, especially in the playoffs where he even occasionally outplayed Kyle Lowry. Alas, Toronto traded Joseph to the Indiana Pacers. But he continues to thrive as the team’s backup point guard behind Darren Collison.

Joseph is the prototypical “better in real life than in fantasy” NBA player. He averages 7.2 points and 3.8 assists per game this season and that’s not going to wow anyone. But he also only averages 1.2 turnovers per game. And he is the top-five in the team in assists, steals, and turnovers per 100 possessions.

The Pacers are third in the NBA in turnover percentage, sixth in steals, and second in field goal percentage. It’s no coincidence that whichever team Joseph plays for is an efficient, playoff-bound team.

Being a product of the Spurs system has plenty to do with Joseph’s development as an NBA player. But one does not simply succeed in San Antonio. Joseph has all the tools you want for a role player: basketball acumen and a team-first mentality. He might be a career backup, but he’ll enjoy a longer career than most players who are twice as talented.

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