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TORONTO — WIll Hardy settled a bet Saturday in Toronto.
The Jazz head coach rolled into his pre-game press conference ahead of Utah's game against the Toronto Raptors sporting a bright red Team Canada jacket.
In September, he and Jazz assistant Scott Morrison made a friendly wager on the bronze-medal game between Canada and the United States at the FIBA World Cup. Canada beat the Americans 127-118.
"My Country let me down," Hardy said with a smile. "So here I am."
Hardy traveled to the World Cup to keep tabs on the many Jazz players in the event — including Canada's own Kelly Olynyk — but he was back in Utah as he tracked the game and found out the bet's fate.
"We were nearby watching the scores very closely trying to figure out who was going to have to wear what to this game," Hardy said.
Morrison took it easy on Hardy when it came to the pre-game outfit. Hardy even admitted that "it was a nice color, for sure." Morrison wouldn't have been so lucky.
"I had an Uncle Sam Halloween costume that he was going to wear to this game," Hardy said. "It was a sad day taking that out of my Amazon cart, but maybe next year."
Canada and the United States have both qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics where a rematch — and potentially another wager — could take place.
Will Hardy lost a bet. pic.twitter.com/WGWWncFIZ8
— Michael Grange (@michaelgrange) December 23, 2023
It's been over 20 years since Canada last made the Olympic games. Olynyk said he remembers waking up early and sitting on his aunt's carpet floor as he watched those 2000 Sydney games.
"The whole nation was behind it," Olynyk said in September.
And they are behind this new generation, too. Olynyk received a loud ovation Saturday in Toronto in appreciation for breaking the Olympic drought.
"When you're a kid, you're like, 'Oh, I'm gonna do that one day. I'm gonna do that one day.' And now we have the opportunity," he said.
While Hardy is disappointed that Morrison didn't dress up like Uncle Sam Saturday, he sees good things ahead for Canada basketball.
"All jokes aside … I have a ton of respect for all their players," Hardy said of Team Canada. "Their national team is in really good hands. … It's a pretty exciting time for Canada basketball."
