Nathaniel Mitchell will coach Canada in the FIBA ​​World Cup qualifiers

Nathaniel Mitchell will return as head coach of Canada’s men’s senior basketball team for the inaugural qualifying window for the 2027 FIBA ​​Men’s World Cup.

Basketball Canada announced their coaching plans in a release on Monday. Mitchell is recruiting for Canadian head coach Gordy Herbert, who is currently coaching defending champions Bayern Munich in Germany’s basketball Bundesliga.

Canada will face the Bahamas in two games, on Friday in Nassau and Dec. 1 in Toronto.

Mitchell led Canada to a fourth-place finish at the FIBA ​​Men’s AmeriCup 2025.

He was also an assistant on Jordi Fernandez’s staff when Canada defeated the United States for bronze at the 2023 World Cup.

Assistant coaches J.D. Jackson, Hino Mottola and Phil Jyotok were also named to Canada’s staff.

“I am truly grateful and honored to have another opportunity to represent our country,” Mitchell said in a release. “Going into this next quad under the leadership and guidance of Gordy Herbert, our expectations are clearly to go forward and win.

“Qualifying for the World Cup is the most important thing, and to do that, we have to play and win every game.”