Fresh off a stint on stage with the Arkells, Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse is the new coach of Canada's men's basketball team.
Canada Basketball announced the hiring on Monday, less than two weeks after Nurse guided the Raptors to their first NBA championship.
Canada Basketball says Nurse's contract runs through the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
The 51-year-old from Iowa has international basketball experience as an assistant with Great Britain at the 2012 London Olympics.
He spent 11 seasons coaching in Europe, mostly in the British Basketball League. The Iowan was named head coach of the Iowa Energy of the G League in 2007. His first NBA job was with the Raptors, joining Dwane Casey as an assistant in 2013. Nurse become head coach of the Raptors this season.
Canada is in Group H along with Senegal, Lithuania and Australia for the World Cup, Aug. 31-Sept. 15. The tournament serves as an Olympic qualifier.
``I'm looking forward to working with this talented group of young players, and to seeing what we can do on the competitive global basketball stage,'' Nurse said in a statement. ``I love the international game. I also see this as a real chance for me to learn from the world's best, and for us to represent Canada with pride and distinction.''
Canada hasn't qualifed a basketball team for the Olympics since 2000.