Report: Washington Wizards’ Kyshawn George to Suit Up for Canada at AmeriCup

Washington Wizards wing Kyshawn George will represent Canada at the FIBA AmeriCup this summer, making his senior national team debut this summer.

According to Libaan Osman of the Toronto Star, the 21-year-old is expected to play a featured role for a young Canadian squad at the tournament, which begins August 22 in Nicaragua.

George was born in Monthey, Switzerland and holds Canadian citizenship through his father, Deon, a former national team player from Montreal’s Côte-des-Neiges neighbourhood. Despite living overseas, the family spent their summers in Montreal, maintaining strong ties to Canada and its basketball community.

Now George gets his chance to wear the maple leaf in international play.

George is coming off a promising rookie season with the Wizards, where he averaged 8.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in 25.6 minutes per game. Though his shooting numbers weren’t efficient, George showed flashes of the size, feel, and versatility that made him a first-round pick in 2024.

His rise over the past 18 months has been rapid. A year ago, George was still relatively unknown. He arrived at the University of Miami as a three-star recruit, then grew to 6-foot-8, cracked the starting lineup midway through the season, and shot 40.8% from three. 

During the pre-draft process, George worked out for multiple teams, including the Toronto Raptors. 

With Canada’s Olympic core expected to sit out this summer, the AmeriCup will be a proving ground for young talent. George will join a Canadian team looking to build depth and identify future contributors as it competes in Group B alongside Venezuela, Panama, and Puerto Rico.

The tournament runs August 22 to 31 in Managua.