<span class="postbody">Magloire can't say yes Won't play with Canada for now By RYAN WOLSTAT -- Sun Media Big man Jamaal (Big Cat) Magloire of the New Jersey Nets gives pointers to Olu Ashaolu, one of Canada's rising hoops stars yesterday. (Sun Media/Dave Abel) Jamaal Magloire really wants to play for Canada in the 2008 Beijing Olympics -- as long as he doesn't have to do any of the heavy lifting to get them there it seems. Magloire all but confirmed yesterday that he won't be joining Leo Rautins' national team for the Tournament of the Americas Olympic qualifiying matches later this month in Las Vegas. "If they can get to the Olympics, I'd love to be a part of that," Magloire said yesterday at St. Michael's College, where some of Canada's brightest high school hoopsters were gathered for a Nike camp. Magloire said he's in contact with Rautins, but made it clear the odds of him going to Vegas were slim because of prior commitments. "Just the timing and the demands on my time right now, there's a lot of community-based stuff," he said. Magloire, 29, most recently played for Canada as an 18-year-old junior national. Former national team head coach and current Raptor assistant Jay Triano, on hand yesterday to work with young talents such as OFSAA champion Devoe Joseph and Texas prep star Olu Ashaolu, says Magloire has got a bad rap. "Every year we tried to get Jamaal to play he didn't have a contract. The one year he had an injury and the other two years he didn't have a contract," Triano said. "You can't ask a guy to play (in those situations). If he gets hurt, he's throwing away millions of dollars." Aware that Magloire is injury-free and recently signed a one-year $4-million US deal with the New Jersey Nets, Triano, currently gearing up to coach a group of American select players who will scrimmage against the U.S. prior to the tournament, was reluctant to comment on Magloire's current hesitation. "I haven't had a chance to talk to him, I don't know what's going on," he said. Magloire was more eager to discuss his expectations for his new NBA team. "I think we'll do a lot of damage," he said. "We feel like with that team we can go to the Eastern Conference final. A lot of teams that did well in the Eastern Conference last year won't do as well this year." Triano agreed that with big men Kevin Garnett, Zach Randolph and Magloire all heading to the Atlantic Division, the Eastern Conference would be much tougher, but said the Raptors have ways to deal with their heftier opponents. "We're going to spread the floor," he said. "Yes teams are getting bigger and more physical, but the way we play we spread the floor and shoot the ball and those big guys (will) have to run up to the three-point line and find us." Magloire and Triano were both happy to see Philadelphia 76ers centre Samuel Dalembert join the Canadian team earlier this week. "I thought that was great," Magloire said. "I wish we could get five Sams to play for us." "We have to find a way to get to the top of the heap, because we were there (once)," Triano added. "In '84 we were fourth; '88 we were sixth; 2000 we had a good run. We've got to find a way to get back there." Having Magloire on board certainly would help.</span></p> </p> </p>
Doesn't really Surprize me, not many NBA players want to play for team Canada, But I wish they would...Too bad tho.
