Canada gears up for the FIBA World Cup live on CBC Sports

Canada's men's basketball journey to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics begins on Wednesday, and CBC Sports has it covered.

Led by head coach Nick Nurse, Canada plays six exhibition games ahead of the FIBA World Cup, which kicks off Aug. 31 in China. The first two take place in Toronto and Winnipeg, with the final four in Australia.

CBCSports.ca is your home for live streaming coverage of the first two games as Nurse and GM Rowan Barrett work on whittling the roster down to 12. 

• Canada vs. Nigeria (Wednesday, Aug. 7 in Toronto) — 7 p.m. ET
• Canada vs. Nigeria (Friday, Aug. 9 in Winnipeg) — 8 p.m. ET

More details will follow on the next four games to be played in Australia.

Canada must finish among the top two Americas countries to qualify for Tokyo, but will be without former NBA first rounders RJ Barrett, Andrew Wiggins and Tristan Thompson as well as Mavericks forward Dwight Powell.

Point guards Jamal Murray and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander have also withdrawn.

That means the team will be relying on its depth, though the country has more NBA players than ever in 2019. Cory Joseph and Kelly Olynyk remain as key contributors.

Australia, Lithuania and Senegal make up the other three teams in Canada's World Cup group, two of whom will advance out of the initial stage.

Canada's training camp invitees are as follows:

• RJ Barrett, Guard, Mississauga, Ont. (New York Knicks).
• Aaron Best, Guard, Scarborough, Ont. (Riesen Ludwigsburg — Germany).
• Khem Birch, Centre, Montreal (Orlando Magic).
• Chris Boucher, Centre, Montreal (Toronto Raptors).
• Oshae Brissett, Forward, Mississauga, Ont. (Toronto Raptors).
• Melvin Ejim, Forward, Toronto (BC UNICS — Russia).
• Brady Heslip, Guard, Burlington, Ont. (Istanbul BBSK — Turkey).
• Cory Joseph, Guard, Toronto (Sacramento Kings).
• Kaza Kajami-Keane, Guard, Ajax, Ont. (Mitteldeutscher BC — Germany)
• Jamal Murray, Guard, Kitchener, Ont. (Denver Nuggets).
• Andrew Nembhard, Guard, Aurora, Ont. (Florida Gators  — NCAA).
• Duane Notice, Guard, Woodbridge, Ont. (Raptors 905 — G League).
• Kelly Olynyk, Forward, Kamloops, B.C. (Miami Heat).
• Eugene Omoruyi, Forward, Rexdale, Ont. (Oregon Ducks — NCAA).
• Kevin Pangos, Guard, Newmarket, Ont. (FC Barcelona Basketball — Spain).
• Addison Patterson, Guard, Milton, Ont. (Bella Vista Prep — Arizona)
• Phil Scrubb, Guard, Richmond, B.C. (Zenit Saint Petersburg — Russia).
• Thomas Scrubb, Forward, Richmond, B.C. (Openjobmetis Varese — Italy).
• Kyle Wiltjer, Forward, Portland, Ore. (Unicaja Malaga  — Spain).

Players listed in italics will participate in training camp but won't play at World Cup.