As Canada 5×5 exits Paris Olympics, Natalie Achonwa bids farewell to international play

Achonwa, the first basketball player to represent Canada at four Olympic Games, leaves the senior women’s national team as its all-time leader in Olympic assists with 43 and Olympic games played with 18. She also helped Canada win the 2015 FIBA AmeriCup and 2015 Pan American Games.

Overall, her 79 FIBA and Olympic games for Canada are the second-most in senior women’s national team history.

“It’s been a hell of a journey. Wouldn’t trade it for the world. I’ve said since I was 16 years old that these are some of the best women, best people I have ever had the pleasure of being around,” Achonwa told reporters in a press conference on Sunday after Canada fell to Nigeria 79-70.

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She continued, “It’s not the way that I would like to go out on the court, but … it’s never about the outcome. It’s about the journey. It’s about that these are the people that you invite to your weddings, that you invite [to] your baby showers, that my son will know for the rest of his life. And it’s bigger than basketball.

“And when I take this jersey off, I hope that I left it better than I found it and that everyone back home knows that every time I put it on, I did it with the utmost amount of pride and passion and can’t wait to see who’s next going to be wearing it after me. And I hope that they can carry it forward and that they can leave it better than I left it.”

After finishing ninth in Tokyo, Canada came into Paris ranked fifth in the world. But Canada committed turnovers and had defensive struggles in losses to France, Australia and Nigeria, failing to win a game in the Olympic group stage for the first time since 1996.

The Canadians would have had to beat Nigeria by at least 10 points on Sunday for a shot at moving on, but instead, they will not reach the knockout round for the second straight Olympics.

“[It’s] hard, but all the [players] I grew up with, all the ones that went out before me, that raised me when I was 16 on this team … told me that I’ll never remember the scores. I’ll never remember that, but I’ll remember the moments, and I’ll remember the people, and that’s all I’m going to take from it,” said Achonwa about her last game in a Canada jersey.

Going into group play, Canada knew what it was up against: a France team that is the defending Olympic bronze medalist, an Australia team that can play with the best in the world and is itself a medal hopeful, and a Nigeria team that would make history as the first African team to reach an Olympic basketball quarterfinal.

France applied pressure to Canada in their first game on July 29, forcing 25 turnovers and holding Canada to just 32% shooting from the field. Canada’s shooting woes continued against Australia on Thursday as it shot just 35%, yet it only lost by five points.

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Against Nigeria, Achonwa said that the defense faltered late in the game and that Canada needed to apply more pressure than it had been. Guard Shay Colley added that Canada was unable to match Nigeria’s physicality and that the 26 turnovers Nigeria forced made a huge difference.

“You’re competing with the best in the world in do-or-die situations every possession, every game. And I need some time to watch the games and reflect on the complete tournament, but I don’t want to make excuses for us,” said Achonwa.

“If you want to compete with the best in the world, you got to show up every possession, every play, and the teams we played just did it better than us.”

Canada now has its hopes set on the 2028 Los Angeles Games, a competition that always seemed like a better chance for a Canadian medal.

Not only do Canada’s current youngsters like Aaliyah Edwards, Laeticia Amihere, Cassandre Prosper and Syla Swords have time to grow and develop before those Games, but there is also considerable talent at the Under-17 and younger levels. They make up the next generation of hoopers from the North who will look to help Canada achieve its podium dream.

“Have you seen our younger teams? Have you seen those that are coming up next? I’d be afraid,” said Achonwa. “I’d be afraid. And hopefully I can continue to give back to Canada Basketball because, like I said, they gave so much to me. So you won’t be seeing the last of me — just maybe not in some on-court sneakers.”

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While there were bright spots for the team and many players will be returning in 2028 and beyond, Achonwa’s impact on Canada on and off the court was undeniable. Canadian basketball fans are certainly going to miss her dominance on the court and leadership off of it as the national team moves into a new era.

“[It’s] so much more than myself, so much more than my family [and] the name on the back,” Achonwa said about representing Canada. “It’s all about that name on the chest and people from all over Canada.”

She added, “I hope that I did it justice. I hope that I made you proud. I did it with everything that I had for 16 years.”

Read more of our coverage of the 2024 Paris Olympics, including stories live from France.