TORONTO (Canada) - Lu Dort could have been on a beach somewhere at the end of August, with the training camp for his new club, the Atlanta Hawks, not starting for another month.
Instead he found himself running up and down the hardwood at the Videotron Centre in Quebec City, playing for Canada's national team in a 97-92 win over Argentina in a FIBA Basketball World Cup Americas Qualifiers. The pugnacious guard had 25 points.
Why choose FIBA Ball over rest and relaxation?
Former Spain international and NBA champion Serge Ibaka dug deeper into the subject on his How Hungry Are You podcast.
He asked Dort whether, if he had to choose, he would prefer to win an NBA title or an Olympic gold medal. And the road to LA 2028 first goes through Qatar and the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027.
"Winning an Olympic gold with Canada over an NBA title," Dort responded.
For so many players, international basketball gets the juices flowing like nothing else.
For Dort, representing Canada has even more significance. His parents immigrated to Canada in their 20s from Haiti, one of the poorest countries in the world.
Dort doesn't take it for granted that he was born in Montreal.
"I'd say winning a gold medal because Canada gave me and my family a great opportunity to have a better life," he explained on the podcast.
Dort has taken full advantage of the chances afforded to him by growing up in Canada. He later moved to the United States to play college basketball at Arizona State before launching his professional career with Oklahoma City.
He was a big part of the Thunder's run to the NBA title in 2025.
Dort was also a key ingredient for Canada when they finished third at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 in Manila, the first time the country reached the podium at the event.
It was also the first time they had a top three finish at a World Cup or Olympics in the modern era.
Canada claimed a silver medal at the first Olympics, in Berlin, in 1936.
Dort was also in the Canada team that finished fifth at the 2024 Olympics, their first appearance at the Summer Games since 2000.
Meanwhile, Dort showed why he was one of the most popular players in the Thunder team following his trade this summer to Atlanta with a heartfelt message on his Instagram.
His departure means his Thunder partnership with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Canada point guard and two-time reigning NBA MVP, is over.
Yet he now gets to play alongside another fellow Canada national team star in Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who is coming off his best season in the NBA. Hawks ace Alexander-Walker also faced Argentina at the end of August and had 26 points.
FIBA