Four Canadians Start 2025 NBA Finals in Oklahoma City, Indiana

The 2025 NBA Finals feature a historic presence of four Canadian players, including two from Montreal—Luguentz Dort of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Bennedict Mathurin of the Indiana Pacers—who face off in this championship series. For the first time in NBA history, three Canadians started in an NBA Finals game: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Dort for Oklahoma City, and Andrew Nembhard for Indiana, with Mathurin coming off the bench. Gilgeous-Alexander has had an outstanding season, winning MVP and leading the league in scoring, while Dort earned a spot on the NBA’s All-Defensive Team. The Pacers, led by Pascal Siakam and Tyrese Haliburton, have performed well in the playoffs but are considered underdogs against the dominant Thunder, who finished with the best regular-season record and are favored by betting markets to win the series. This final underscores the growing impact of Canadian talent in the NBA and has sparked pride among Montreal fans, who see these players as inspiration for local youth. The series, beginning in Oklahoma City, highlights the critical roles these Canadians play on their respective teams and the potential for one to become champion.