HAMILTON, Ont. — McMaster Marauders men's basketball head coach
Patrick Tatham will play a key role in guiding Canada's Senior Men's National Team over the next four years, after being named to the program's official coaching pool for the LA 2028 Olympic quad.
Canada Basketball announced the pool earlier this week, highlighting a roster of elite basketball minds who will lead the national team through key international windows and competitions. The group will work under the leadership of General Manager and Executive Vice-President of Men's High Performance Rowan Barrett, in collaboration with Senior Men's National Team head coach Gordie Herbert.
"With the increasing demands of the international calendar, and a dynamic, evolving player pool, it's essential that our coaching infrastructure reflects both flexibility and alignment," said Barrett in a Canada Basketball press release. "This group represents the best of Canadian basketball – with proven success across the NBA, FIBA, Olympics, and European professional leagues – and will play a critical role as we build toward LA 2028."
Patrick Tatham is among a pool of skilled and talented assistants and skill development coaches including Matt Gray, JD Jackson, Jama Mahlalela, Nathaniel Mitchell, Scott Morrison, Hanno Möttölä, Ashton Smith, and Shawn Swords. Canada Basketball noted that the selection of these coaches "ensures tactical consistency and cultural alignment across the program, strengthening Canada's ability to compete at the highest level."
Tatham has been the head coach of McMaster University's men's basketball team since 2017, compiling a 47-46 overall record over four competitive seasons and leading the Marauders to an OUA semi-final appearance in 2021-22. His tenure has produced five OUA All-Stars, two OUA All-Rookie selections, and one U SPORTS All-Rookie honouree.
"Patrick's selection to the Senior Men's National Team coaching pool is a reflection of his dedication, expertise, and ability to inspire those around him," said
Keenan Jeppesen, McMaster's Director of Athletics & Recreation. "His commitment to developing student-athletes at McMaster and contributing to Canada Basketball at the highest level speaks volumes about his leadership. We're proud to see him representing the Marauders on the international stage and look forward to the expertise and perspective he'll bring back to strengthen our program and student-athletes."
Before McMaster, Tatham served as an assistant with the NBA G-League's Maine Red Claws (2016-17) and spent six seasons with TMU, including a standout year as interim head coach in 2015-16 when he led the Bold to a 17-2 record, their first Wilson Cup title, and earned OUA and CIS Coach of the Year honours.
Internationally, Tatham has extensive experience with Canada Basketball, serving in multiple roles from the junior national team to the senior men's program, including head coach duties at the FIBA U18 Americas Championship and U17 World Cup.
"Coach Tatham has worked hard to earn the opportunity to coach with the Senior Men's National Team. We're excited to see him showcase the high-quality coaching he brings to McMaster, while taking advantage of learning from other great coaches and players," said McMaster Associate Athletic Director, Eric Borque. "We'll be cheering him and the team on when they get to Nicaragua."
Tatham and his fellow members of the coaching pool will lead Canada through key international windows and competitions, beginning with the 2025 FIBA Men's AmeriCup, set for August 22–31 in Managua, Nicaragua.
