Tristan Thompson joins short list of Canadian NBA champs

Brampton, Ont. native Tristan Thompson is an NBA champion.

The Cavaliers centre played a major role in helping end Cleveland's 52-year championship drought with the Cavaliers' thrilling 93-89 Game 7 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Sunday.

Thompson averaged 10.3 points and 10.1 rebounds in the NBA Finals, including three double-doubles. The 25-year-old also shot an impressive 63.6 per cent from the field in the series.

Thompson led all players in the Finals in plus-minus as the Cavaliers outscored the Warriors by 40 points while Thompson was on the floor. Cleveland actually had a better plus-minus rating than Finals MVP LeBron James (plus-26). 

Following the Game 7 win, Thompson celebrated with some elite company

Thompson became the sixth Canadian to win the NBA championship after Mike Smrek (1987-1988), Bill Wennington (1996-1998), Rick Fox (2000-2002), Joel Anthony (2012-2013) and Cory Joseph (2014).

The Cavs' big man signed a five-year, $82 million US contract in the 2015 off-season after he was a key contributor in Cleveland's run to the NBA Finals last year.

The next big question surrounding Thompson will be his participation in Canada's crucial last-chance Olympic qualifying tournament in the Philippines in July. Thompson didn't participate in the Pan Am Games or Canada's 2015 Olympic qualifier in Mexico City due to prolonged contract negotiations with the Cavaliers.

With the Minnesota Timberwolves' Andrew Wiggins already withdrawing from the July 5-10 qualifier and the Boston Celtics' Kelly Olynyk unavailable due to shoulder surgery, Thompson's participation could be crucial to Canada's hopes of qualifying for the Olympics for the first time since 2000.