Paris Olympics Journey Ends for Dallas Mavericks Big Man

Dylan Grausz | Aug 7, 2024

Jul 10, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Canada forward Dwight Powell (7) guards USA forward Joel Embiid (11) in the first quarter of the USA Basketball Showcase at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-USA TODAY Sports / Candice Ward-USA TODAY Sports

2024 has been one to remember for former Stanford basketball star and current Dallas Maverick Dwight Powell, earning a trip to play in the NBA Finals with Dallas this season. Despite losing in five games to the Celtics, Powell got his first taste of championship action.

But it did not stop there. This summer, Powell earned the chance to represent his country in the Paris Olympics, being selected as one of 12 players to take the courth for a loaded Canada squad that contains NBA talent such as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luguentz Dort and others. After going undefeated in the group stage of the tournament, beating Spain, Australia and Greece, the boys in red clinched a spot in the knockout stage.

It was a tough game, but ultimately, Canada saw its Olympic run end with an 82-73 loss to France in the quarterfinals on Tuesday, after being down 45-29 at the half. Despite cutting the deficit to as low as six points, a strong French team led by the likes of Victor Wembanyama, Rudy Gobert and Evan Fournier was too much for Powell and Team Canada as their road to the gold medal came to an end. 

Powell, who played in 63 of the Mavericks 82 regular season games (starting six) and averaged 3.3 points, played in all four of Canada’s Olympic matchups, averaging 22.5 minutes per game while averaging 6.5 points. Defensively, Powell was a major force on the inside, especially against France, totaling nine rebounds and making the France offense work for every point that they got. Starting at center for a majority of the games, splitting minutes with Kelly Olynk, Powell was able to establish himself as a major presence for Team Canada, and in what was his first Olympics, proved how valuable he is on the international stage.

Powell’s dream for a gold medal may be over, but in what was Canada’s first appearance in the games since 2000, he helped to flip the narrative of Canadian basketball and put them on the map when it comes to the international basketball scene.