Brothers Andrew and Ryan Nembhard have reunited on Canada’s senior men’s national basketball team for the ongoing FIBA Americas World Cup qualifying window, marking their first time competing together on a competitive team in over a decade. The siblings, both from Aurora, Ontario, contributed to Canada’s 110-84 victory over Puerto Rico on Friday and continued to play together in a subsequent game against Jamaica on Monday.
Andrew, 26, who is three years older than Ryan, reflected on their early years playing basketball side by side. “Seventh grade, eighth grade, we played middle school basketball together,” he said. “It’s going to be a lot of fun just having him around, being able to compete together on the same side of the floor.”
Ryan, coming off his rookie season with the Dallas Mavericks, expressed enthusiasm about joining his brother on the national stage. “It’ll be fun,” he said. “It’s cool to just be out there with everybody. Great group of guys, so I’m excited.”
Typically, rookies on new teams are paired with seasoned veterans to assist with acclimation, and Andrew acknowledged serving in this role to Ryan. “I guess so? I feel like I’m still one of the young guys,” Andrew commented during Canada’s training camp. “He’ll figure it out on the fly by watching and observing.”
In the match against Puerto Rico, Andrew delivered a strong performance, scoring 23 points along with five rebounds, four assists, and a steal. He led all scorers for most of the game until two-time NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 10 points in the fourth quarter, concluding with 26 points in front of his hometown crowd. Ryan, making his senior team debut, contributed four points, two assists, and two steals in 11 minutes of play.
Ryan has a history representing Canada at youth levels, having competed in the 2018 FIBA under-16 Americas Championship and the 2021 FIBA under-19 World Cup. He emphasized the significance of the opportunity to play at the senior level alongside friends and teammates. “It’s special. I’m excited for the opportunity to, of course, always have a great time playing on the young teams with some of my best friends,” he said.
Statistically, Andrew has been a key contributor at the NBA level, averaging 16.9 points, 7.7 assists, and 2.8 rebounds per game over 57 contests with the Indiana Pacers in the 2025-26 season. Ryan recorded averages of 6.6 points, 5.3 assists, and 2.2 rebounds across 60 games during his rookie campaign with Dallas. The brothers’ collaboration on the national team underscores a unique family narrative within Canadian basketball.