Is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander playing today vs Spain - August 17th, 2023 | FIBA World Cup 2023 Tuneup Games

On Thursday, August 17, Canada and Spain will participate in another tune-up game. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is expected to feature in the contest, which will give the Canadian national team a significant edge, as one of the best point guards in the world will be leading their offense.

Canada is widely expected to be among the best teams in the FIBA World Cup. They boast multiple high-level NBA players and Gilgeous-Alexander, who could potentially be the most talented player at the tournament, alongside Slovenia's Luka Doncic.

The Spanish national team doesn't project to be an easy out for Canada, though. Spain boasts multiple NBA talents and has a long history of success in FIBA competitions. However, Canada's explosiveness, multi-level scoring, and high-level defense may prove too much for the Spanish national team to overcome.

Led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Canada's offense will be unpredictable and capable of penetrating at will. The Oklahoma City Thunder guard has an incredible knack for finding lanes to the rim, both on and off-ball, regardless of how tight the defense is playing him or how deep the big man is dropping into the paint.

As such, Spain will need to be careful when collapsing onto Shai Gilgeous-Alexander drives. If they over-commit, they will likely get cooked by perimeter shooting via drive and kick threes.

Last season, the 25-year-old averaged 31.4 points and 5.5 assists per game. It will be interesting to see if Canada allows him to continue being a relentless shooter or whether they want to tap into Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's elite playmaking skill.

---

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has kept Team Canada 'connected'

According to Canada's head coach, Jordi Fernandez, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been vital in keeping the team connected and on the same page. He told reporters:

"It’s cool because it doesn’t feel forced. It comes natural. I think the guys have that relationship where they know each other, they like each other. Shai always has a smile on his face.

"And we need to have a group that enjoys being together. They have fun working together. There has to be that level of happiness and fun and hanging out. That is important for us as an organization. We are going to do it right. We are going to compete and [the] guys will enjoy it so all those guys make it happen."

If Canada is going to have a legitimate shot at winning the FIBA World Cup, they will need to ensure they find ways to get the best out of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

The First-Team All-NBA guard is an elite playmaker, scorer, and ball-handler who can dictate the tempo of a game and make his teammates better. However, Canada will need to ensure their other players are also featured within the offense, so that Gilgeous-Alexander can make the type of impact we've come to expect from him.