A dejected Steve Sir stood on a basketball court with his Canadian teammates on June 12, 2018 following a quarterfinal loss in the team’s FIBA 3×3 World Cup debut in Manila, Philippines.
Sir has played basketball since he was six years old and was an NCAA standout at Northern Arizona, but he was green when it came to the fast-paced 3×3 format played on a smaller court with fewer players than the traditional five-on-five game.
The Netherlands scored four points in 80 seconds on that June day for an 18-16 victory in a 10-minute contest that included five lead changes. Canada held a 16-15 edge with 73 seconds remaining on the clock.
“The semifinals were right there for us. Knowing that you are an inch away from a chance to play for a medal for your country, those aren’t opportunities you get every day,” Sir recalled last week. “It was heartbreaking not to take the next step.”
Seven years later, Canada will have another chance at a World Cup medal when 20 teams gather in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia for the ninth edition starting June 23. Sir is the lone returning member of the squad, which opens pool play the next day against European powerhouse Austria and then China, which captured an Asia Cup silver medal in March.
WATCH | Canada eliminated in quarterfinals of 2018 FIBA 3×3 World Cup;
Canada lost to 18-16 to the Dutch at the FIBA 3×3 World Cup, Canada finishes 6th overall.
With family and friends watching back home in Edmonton, Sir expects the sweat, anticipation and nervousness to return when he’s introduced for the Austria matchup with teammates Grant Audu, Jérôme Desrosiers and Alex Johnson.
Representing Canada and wearing the family name on his back has been a lifelong dream for Sir.
“One of my favourite Christmas gifts was getting the book Long Shot: Steve Nash’s Journey to the NBA when I was a teenager,” Sir remembered while speaking with CBC Sports recently. “A heavy part of that book was Steve [the two-time NBA MVP and Hall of Famer] talking about what it meant to play for Canada and how it was a lifelong dream. It left a major impression on me.
“My big dream was playing Division 1 [college basketball] in the [United] States, but my apex was always getting the chance to play for Canada.”
FIBA 3×3 World Cup action from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia will stream live on CBCSports.ca and CBC Gem beginning June 23 at 11 p.m. ET and continue through June 29. For a full broadcast schedule of 3×3 basketball events this season, click here.
Wearing a red zip-up top with “Canada” written in white lettering above his heart, Sir added the support from home during the 2018 World Cup has “kept me motivated, kept me playing and pursuing. It was a special feeling.”
From 2007 through 2016, Sir carved out a professional career in five-on-five basketball as an integral member of teams in Mexico, Switzerland, Germany, Romania, Edmonton and Halifax.
WATCH | Steve Sir, 42, on how long he’ll play 3×3 basketball:
At 42, Canadian national men’s 3×3 basketball player Steve Sir says he doesn’t want to place a limitation on how long he will play competitively
Five years later, the six-foot-five forward tried to make Canadian Olympic 3×3 teams. Canada won its first two games at a 2021 qualifying tournament in Graz, Austria before losing two straight and didn’t reach the knockout stage. Last May, Canada had a 1-2 record in pool play but didn’t secure a quarterfinal berth in Debrecen, Hungary.
Now, the 42-year-old Sir is returning to the World Cup. Since 2022, he has been living in Mongolia, where he plays and coaches senior and under-23 clubs. His wife Caitlin and daughters Isabelle and Lyla live in Edmonton but have spent the majority of the past three summers in Mongolia.
Canada goes 3-0 to clinch World Cup berth
“That’s the hardest part,” Sir said of being separated from his family.
Canada secured one of three available World Cup spots on May 25 with a 21-12 handling of Rwanda to cap a 3-0 performance in Baku, Azerbaijan. Montenegro and Great Britain also clinched berths.
Desrosiers led Canada with seven points against Rwanda.
The Canadians took both matches a day earlier, with Sir posting eight points and Audu seven in a 21-14 win over Great Britain. Sir led the way with 10 points in a 22-7 rout of Azerbaijan.
The six-foot-four Audu, from Toronto, is in his first season with the team. His first major competition was the FIBA 3×3 AmeriCup last December in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where the Canadian program picked up its first-ever medal at the event, defeating Mexico and Dominican Republic for bronze.
The 27-year-old has brought an excitement and eagerness to the team, noted Sir, much the way Edmonton native Jermaine Bucknor did in 2018 as a newcomer.
“What makes me proud of a player like Grant is he’s not scared of the big stage, understands the responsibility and just competes,” Sir said.
In Mongolia, Canada will also face France, the 2024 Olympic silver medallists, Chile and Puerto Rico, which placed second at last year’s AmeriCup.
WATCH | Sir on a model Canada can follow to develop 3×3 game:
To develop 3×3 basketball in Canada, Sir says smaller tournaments should be held to create enthusiasm and a knowledge base for players.
The last 16 will be held June 27, followed by the quarterfinals the next day. The semifinals, third-place games and final will be contested on June 29.
“It’s a tough, tough group but what a great opportunity to compete. Let’s see what we can do, nothing to lose,” said Sir, who was fourth in scoring at the AmeriCup and named to the men’s team of the tournament.
“We shoot the ball well. We have good playmaking, experience. Jérôme [Desrosiers] has been playing on the World Tour the last few years and continues to get better. And Alex has represented Canada multiple times and his leadership is invaluable.”
In 2018, there was “so much” Sir didn’t know about 3×3 basketball and plenty of room for improvement.
“It’s a new discipline and there’s new nuances and intricacies you have to learn, not just to improve but to evolve with the sport and stay effective,” he said. “Shooting has always been my strength, but I have found different ways to be effective — off the dribble, at different angles or with different footwork or fakes.
“It still fires me up every day, the things you can do within this sport to get better. It’s been a fun journey.”
More fun could be in store should a World Cup medal be placed around Sir’s neck.
“We’re a strong basketball country,” he said, “and we have a great opportunity to showcase ourselves in the place we want.”
