The Canadian NBA champion club has a new member: Oshae Brissett. Oshae Brissett’s NBA Title was clinched when the Boston Celtics won the 2024 NBA Finals, defeating the Dallas Mavericks. Brissett, a Toronto native, now stands among a select group of Canadians who have hoisted the Larry O’Brien Trophy. This triumph makes Brissett the third consecutive Canadian to claim an NBA championship, underscoring the recent surge of Canadian talent in the league.
Is Oshae Brissett’s NBA Title a Fluke or the Start of a Dynasty?
Brissett’s journey to this pinnacle has been anything but straightforward. Initially undrafted, he started his career with the Toronto Raptors. Now, he plays a supporting role on one of the NBA’s deepest rosters. Despite limited playing time, Brissett’s contribution has been significant, featuring in 65 games this season—55 in the regular season and 10 in the playoffs. On that unforgettable Monday night, he was on the court as the final seconds ticked away, etching his name into championship history.
This recent victory follows in the footsteps of other Canadian stars. Last year, it was Jamal Murray with the Denver Nuggets, and before that, Andrew Wiggins with the Golden State Warriors. Both Murray and Wiggins were instrumental in their teams’ successes, often hailed as the second-best players on their squads.
Brissett’s path mirrors those of earlier Canadian champions like Cory Joseph and Tristan Thompson, who also hail from the Greater Toronto Area. After completing his high school education in the U.S. at Findlay Prep, Nevada, Brissett has carved out a niche in the NBA. Interestingly, his family boasts another sports champion—his older brother Dejon plays for the Toronto Argonauts, adding a Grey Cup winner to their accolades.
The lineage of Canadian NBA champions is impressive. The trailblazer was Mike Smrek from Welland, Ontario, who won back-to-back titles with the Lakers in the late ’80s. Montreal’s Bill Wennington then captured three titles with the Chicago Bulls during their iconic ’90s run. Rick Fox from Toronto matched this feat with three consecutive championships with the Lakers at the turn of the millennium. Montreal’s Joel Anthony won with the Miami Heat in 2012 and 2013, and Chris Boucher, born in Saint Lucia but raised in Montreal, secured titles with the Warriors in 2018 and the Raptors in 2019.
This burgeoning legacy of Canadian NBA champions speaks volumes about the country’s growing influence in basketball. Oshae Brissett’s victory is not just a personal triumph but a testament to Canada’s rising prominence in the sport. As the saying goes, “the proof of the pudding is in the eating,” and Canada’s basketball talent is proving itself on the biggest stages.
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