Canada's Powell: ''I've been excited all year to play at home in the Qualifiers''

TORONTO (FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Americas Qualifies) - Dwight Powell cannot wait for late June to come and getting to play for Canada at home in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Americas Qualifiers, a thought that gives him goosebumps thinking about it while also making him anxious to forget his last time in a Canada jersey.

The 26-year-old Powell was included in Canada's preliminary squad for the third window, in which Canada will host Dominican Republic in Toronto on June 29 and Virgin Islands in Ottawa on July 2.

"It's definitely an honor," said Powell, who made the comments after helping 66 campers from the Asia-Pacific region at the 10th Basketball Without Borders Asia Camp in Dehli, India. "It's something that growing up as a kid you dream about. You know it would always be an honor to play for your national team. But once you put that jersey on... still, to this day, every single time it's a surreal feeling. You kind of get goosebumps every training camp."

This will be the 6ft 9in (2.05m) forward's second time playing for Canada in a FIBA competition - but the first one at home.

"This will be the first time I actually play on home soil and I've definitely been excited about it all year. Hopefully we can get the job done and compete the right way and defend home court," he said.

Canada sit second in Group D of the Americas Qualifiers with a 3-1 record. Dominican Republic, who beat the Canadians at home 88-76 in November, are undefeated at 4-0 in first place, followed by Virgin Islands at 1-3 and Bahamas at 0-4.

After graduating from Stanford University in 2014, Powell was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets. He was traded to Cleveland, however, and then Boston. Powell ended up being sent to the Dallas Mavericks by the end of the year and has been with the club ever since. With the Mavs this season, he played in 79 games and averaged 8.5ppg, 5.6rpg in 21.2mpg.

His focus is now on Canada, and he knows how big the first game, against Dominican Republic, could be, with first place in the group potentially at stake.

"Playing on home soil with your country's flag on your chest, there's really nothing that compares to that feeling. Regardless of who we play, it's a humongous game. It means everything," he said. "But the fact that we're playing a great team for position in our group it adds extra emphasis. Hopefully we can step up to the challenge and compete at the right level."

"THIS WILL BE THE FIRST TIME I ACTUALLY PLAY ON HOME SOIL AND I'VE DEFINITELY BEEN EXCITED ABOUT IT ALL YEAR."Powell

Powell will also be looking to put behind him the last time he donned the red and white of Canada. It was the FIBA AmeriCup 2015 Semi-Finals, with an automatic spot at the Rio 2016 Olympics on offer for the winning team. The Canadians, with all of their NBA players, could not get past a Venezuela side without a single NBA player. They then came up short at the 2016 Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Manila.

"Yeah, that was tough. That was a very, very difficult pill to swallow," Powell recalled. "We were definitely very excited and hopeful and we were playing well and competing well. We came up against a team that was also playing very well and we didn't get it done. 

"That's something that we will all live with for the rest of our lives because there are only so many opportunities on the FIBA level in your career, as opposed to your club career where it's year after year. So that's a sting that still burns."

"Hopefully the guys who were part of that team and are part of this team coming up have that fresh in their mind like I know that I do," he said. "I think the whole team will carry that for the rest of our national team lives. Just being that close - it will definitely add some fuel to the fire."

Reflecting on his time in India where he helped put the next generation of Asia's players through their paces, Powell spoke highly of the experience. 

"It's a blessing first and foremost to be at the level that they invite me to come here. It's an honor to be here. Also it's an honor to give back to this game that's given me so much," he said.

"There's a lot of talent around as the game grows. It's important to help cultivate that into the best future of the game that we can. Seeing these kids and the talent that they already have and being able to help them in any way is great and a blessing to give back. It's rewarding to see these kids and how receptive they are. I'm so grateful to have this opportunity. And it's always fun to see somebody do something that they love and taking full advantage of an opportunity to get better at it." 

FIBA