Nathaniel Mitchell has been appointed as the head coach of the Canadian men’s national basketball team for the initial qualifying phase of the 2027 FIBA Men’s World Cup. Canada Basketball revealed this coaching decision in a press release on Monday. Mitchell will step in for Gordie Herbert, the current head coach of Bayern Munich in Germany’s Basketball Bundesliga.
Expressing his gratitude and honor, Mitchell stated in the news release, “I am truly thankful for the opportunity to represent our nation once again. Under the guidance of Gordie Herbert, our focus for the upcoming quad is on growth and achieving success. Our primary goal is to secure qualification for the World Cup, which necessitates a competitive spirit and winning mentality in every game.”
Joining Mitchell on Canada’s coaching staff are assistant coaches JD Jackson, Hanno Mottola, and Phil Jevtovic. The team is set to compete against the Bahamas in two upcoming matches, scheduled for Friday in Nassau and December 1 in Toronto.
Mitchell previously guided Canada to a fourth-place finish at the FIBA Men’s AmeriCup held in August. Additionally, he served as an assistant coach under Jordi Fernandez’s leadership when Canada secured a bronze medal by defeating the United States at the 2023 World Cup.