Joel Anthony rarely turns down a chance to suit up for Canada.

The 35-year-old from Montreal will lead Canada鈥檚 men鈥檚 basketball team at the FIBA AmeriCup tournament that tips off Sunday in Argentina, which is preparation for qualifying for the 2019 World Cup in China.

鈥淚 really do just love the opportunity to represent my country,鈥� said Anthony, a 10-year NBA veteran. 鈥淚t鈥檚 like coming back home. I鈥檓 usually in the States so to be able to come back and be with everyone, see old friends, it鈥檚 kind of like Thanksgiving. I enjoy it.鈥�

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FIBA has completely overhauled the qualifying format for both the World Cup and Olympics, and the new schedule, with games falling smack dab in the middle of the NBA season, calls for some creative personnel moves.

So while Anthony and fellow NBA veteran Andrew Nicholson might be on Canada鈥檚 roster in Argentina, they know they鈥檙e part of a revolving door of Canadian players, and there鈥檚 no telling what the roster will look like if Canada qualifies for the World Cup.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a reality,鈥� Anthony said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 something that the guys understand. It鈥檚 obviously a different format, something no one鈥檚 ever seen before so it鈥檚 hard to say (whether it will benefit Canada or not). With us, honestly, it could be more difficult because of our presence in the NBA now, and them not being able to play during different parts of the tournament season.鈥�

This FIBA AmeriCup has become merely an exhibition tournament, which no qualifying ramifications. Qualifying for the 32-team World Cup now features a two-round tournament of home and away games. The World Cup, in turn, is a major qualifier for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Canada is in Group D in the Americas zone for World Cup qualifying, with first-round games against the Virgin Islands, Bahamas, and the Dominican Republic. Canada will host the Bahamas on Nov. 24 in Halifax in their first qualifier.

Roy Rana, Canada鈥檚 head coach for both the FIBA AmeriCup and the Halifax game, said the program鈥檚 revolving-door of players has bought into the new format.

鈥淪ome of this is really just understanding the nature of the new qualifying format, that in itself is a challenge,鈥� said Rana, who coached Canada鈥檚 U19 team to a world title last month. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e going to have to be invested in a different way because we鈥檙e going to have such a larger pool of players available, just as there is for coaches. This has opened a unique opportunity for myself just as it has for some of them.鈥�

Jay Triano remains the men鈥檚 head coach, but handed the reins to Rana for upcoming qualifiers because of a conflict with the NBA season. Triano is an assistant with the Phoenix Suns.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a tremendous amount of trust between us, we have some great basketball conversations,鈥� Rana said of his relationship with Triano. 鈥淗e鈥檚 been really, really good at allowing me to use my own strengths and some of the things I鈥檝e done with teams, and blending in a lot of the things he鈥檚 done with his team. It鈥檚 all about a community. It鈥檚 not about my way, it鈥檚 about 鈥榣et鈥檚 find the best way.鈥欌��

Canada鈥檚 first-round World Cup qualifying will see them play at the Dominican Republic on Nov. 27. They鈥檒l be back in action in February with games at the Virgin Islands and Bahamas. The next block of games are next summer, with the top three countries after the first round advancing to the second.

Triano said the new format will take some getting used to, but on the plus side gives players the rare chance to play games at home. Also, the expanding player pool has allowed newcomers such as Ammanuel Diressa, a standout with Rana鈥檚 Ryerson Rams team, and Grandy Glaze, who鈥檚 toiled in the NBA鈥檚 G-League for five seasons, a chance to pull on the Canadian jersey.

鈥淐ertainly Grandy Glaze is one that people in Canada aren鈥檛 familiar with and just has this unique energy to him and a toughness that will have a major impact on this group,鈥� Rana said. 鈥淚鈥檓 proud about Manny Diressa鈥� I鈥檝e said over and over I think he鈥檚 one of the most talented guards I鈥檝e coached, and I鈥檓 happy to see everyone else is seeing that now.鈥�

Canada tips off the FIBA AmeriCup against the Virgin Islands on Sunday, then plays Argentina on Monday and Venezuela on Tuesday. The semifinals are Sept. 2 and the final is Sept. 3.

Lori Ewing, The Canadian Press