Yale Secondary grad will wear Canadian colours at 2024 FIBA 3×3 AmeriCup in Puerto Rico from Dec. 12 to 15
Abbotsford’s Marek Klassen will be representing Canada at the 2024 FIBA 3×3 AmeriCup, which goes down in Puerto Rico from Dec. 12 to 15.
Klassen will be joined on the team by Toronto’s Grant Audu, Montreal’s Jerome Desrosiers and Edmonton’s Steve Sir.
This marks the national team debut for the Yale Secondary grad. He did receive an invite to the senior men’s national team training camp ahead of the FIBA Men’s AmeriCup 2022, but was not chosen for that event.
Ready for Puerto Rico 😤
FIBA #3x3AmeriCup Rosters presented by @Rentalsdotca #3x3WNT | #3x3MNT https://t.co/zjf7qb90ne pic.twitter.com/82S0j9bv5H
— Canada Basketball (@CanBball) December 9, 2024
The Canadian men are currently ranked 19th and are looking for its first-ever podium finish in the event which began in 2021. Canada finished seventh in 2023 after falling in overtime 16-15 to Brazil in a quarterfinal clash last December.
Canada enters the event as the No. 3 seed and will share Group C with Argentina and one of Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Cuba and Costa Rica, who will compete in qualifying draw action for a berth in the event. Fans can stream all the action live on the FIBA 3×3 YouTube channel.
“I’m looking forward to seeing what Marek, Jerome, Steve, and Grant can accomplish as a team,” stated Ron Yeung, head of domestic and 3×3 development. “We just wrapped up a highly productive training camp this past weekend in Toronto, and the energy is high. I’m confident this team will be a strong contender in San Juan, giving Canada an excellent opportunity to secure its first-ever podium performance at the FIBA Men’s 3×3 AmeriCup.”
Klassen has played professionally all over Europe and most recently in Poland and Greece. He also starred for the Vancouver Bandits franchise for several years.
Limoges CSP signs a deal with Marek Klassen pic.twitter.com/axGN1o7XES
— Luca D’Alessandro (@DAlessandro_LU) February 27, 2023
He is a former B.C. provincial player of the year and was named the B.C. AAA high school tournament’s most valuable player when he helped lead the Yale Lions to a provincial title in 2010.
Klassen is also the mind behind the Hooper IQ app, which focuses on helping athletes understand the decision making that goes into basketball. He also told The News that he will continue his professional basketball journey after the AmeriCup is over. Klassen shared that he’s fielding offers from teams in Europe and also the G-League’s South Bay Lakers – the affiliate team of the Los Angeles Lakers.