SBA Family
Cory Joseph
By John Elambo
Cory Joseph grew up in a basketball family. His parents met as student athletes at Mount Royal College while playing for the school’s basketball teams. His brother Devoe, also is a professional basketball player, currently playing in Europe.
During his youth Joseph and future NBA player Kelly Olynyk, both played for the Scarborough Basketball Association (SBA) on a team that was dominant in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Born in Toronto, Cory grew up in Pickering as the youngest of four children, his two sisters Chantal and Danielle and his brother Devoe.
Cory went to Pickering High School alongside his brother Devoe and the brothers led the basketball team to two straight Ontario Provincial championships in 2007 and 2008. That same year in 2008 the two brothers were selected to play in the annual All-Canada Classic, that showcases the top high school players in Canada.
Later in the year Joseph teamed up with another future NBA player and champion in Tristan Thompson at Findlay Prep in Henderson, Nevada. In 2010, Joseph played in the McDonald’s All-American game that showcases the best high school basketball players. He was able to also win the McDonald’s Three-Point competition and was named a Jordan Brand Classic All-American.
Joseph eventually committed to the University of Texas, alongside Thompson. Joseph started all 36 games for his college and was able to have one of his best games on December 18, 2010 finishing with 21 points and a game-winning jumper against North Carolina.
Texas was able to reach the 2011 NCAA March Madness as a fourth seed, they eventually lost to fifth seed Arizona in the third round. At the end of the season Joseph declared for the 2011 NBA Draft.
Joseph was drafted 29th overall by the San Antonio Spurs, he was able to reach the 2013 NBA Finals with the Spurs only to lose in seven games to the Miami Heat.
The Spurs got their redemption the following year against the Heat, beating them in five games, to give Joseph a NBA championship ring. In the off-season of 2015, the Spurs extended a qualifying offer to Joseph in order to make him a restricted free agent, but later withdrew the offer.
Joseph then signed a four-year, $30-million contract with the Toronto Raptors. He was able to react the Eastern Conference Finals in his first season in Toronto only to lose in six games to the Cleveland Cavaliers. He was traded in the offseason of 2017 to the Indiana Pacers, playing two years there before signing with the Sacramento Kings in 2019. Joseph is now currently playing with the Detroit Pistons after being traded there in the trade deadline.
Joseph also competed for the Canadian national team at the 2008 FIBA Americas Under-18 Championship, winning the bronze. He also played in the 2009 FIBA Under-19 World Championship.
He made his senior team debut at the 2011 Jack Donohue International Classic which ended in a win against Belgium. Joseph played alongside his brother at the 2013 FIBA Americas Championship, leading the team in scoring, 16.1 points per game.
Joseph was named captain of the national team prior to the 2015 FIBA Americas Championship. He was able to hit the game winner at the buzzer against Mexico in the bronze medal game. He also played for his country at the 2019 FIBA World Cup.