It’s quite the commute for Toby Fournier these days, but he continues to have tunnel vision.

The 17-year-old Toronto native committed to Duke University on Wednesday. After celebrating with family over dinner that night, the 13th-ranked ESPN 2024 basketball prospect is now in Edmonton for the senior women’s national team camp, with the aim of competing for Canada in the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

“I just stuck to my goals and what I wanted for a long time. The Olympics has really been a dream for me my whole life,” Fournier told The Canadian Press. “So I feel like I just know where I want to go and what I need to do and what next steps I need to take to get into that position and prepare for the Olympics.

“I just need to play my game honestly, confidently. I’m in camp for a reason and there’s a chance for me to be in this team.”

The training camp, as well as an exhibition match against Japan in Victoria on June 2, is the first stage of preparation for the FIBA ​​Women’s AmeriCup in Mexico from July 1-9.

With the US having already qualified for the Paris Games, the best-performing squad at the AmeriCup — consisting of 10 teams — will automatically advance to the FIBA ​​Women’s Olympic Qualification tournament​​in February 2024. The following three best teams will compete in FIBA regional Women’s Pre-Olympic Qualifying Tournament in November.

Fournier, a six-foot-two forward at Crestwood Preparatory College of the Ontario Scholastic Basketball Association, finished his Grade 11 season on March 5, leading his team to a league title and to MVP Finals with a 23-point performance.

Fournier then featured prominently at the Nike Hoops Summit on April 8 in Portland, Ore. She finished with 18 points, nine rebounds and three blocks for the World Select team in the event’s inaugural women’s match.

The teenager took up basketball at the age of 12 after quitting other sports and activities, including gymnastics and ballet.

His rise to fame began two years later when his dunking video went viral. With this success, there was a mental change for Fournier.

“I was a very likeable, restless, more reserved kid. I was always outspoken with people I was comfortable with and I was still very energetic, but I never felt the most confident, especially in sports,” he says. “So I didn’t see much of my potential even when other people could.

“And I feel like that’s the thing that drains me the most mentally, is the part of my game where I don’t even want to take him to the ring because I’m so nervous. But at this point in my basketball career, I kind of flipped a switch and I can accept the nervous and adrenaline stress I had before the game and now using it to my advantage instead of letting it numb me.

“Now I love the attention and the energy I get from it.”

Wrapping up an “absolutely chaotic” recruitment process, his commitment to Duke is one he has strengthened for a number of reasons.

“I feel even more excited because I’m so ready for next year and to be on the big stage and able to compete in front of so many people,” said Fournier. “This is a lifelong dream for me and just something I have wanted for a long time, ever since I started playing basketball.

“But it’s definitely a huge relief too. It’s such a nice feeling to relax and know that I have a place I’m going to go next year and just to build a relationship with them and not worry about anyone else.”

Now competing with some of Canada’s best will be an opportunity to soak up some information.

“I think it’s a great learning experience,” says Fournier. “Just being able to be around all the women who have been through it for so long and have been in the game longer than me.

“Just being able to follow their lead and see how they act and how they behave. Not exactly copying what they do, but there are certain things that are required in elite athletes and just taking those habits from them and learning and being able to ask questions.

“And a lot of them are really nice and they can always guide me in everything.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on May 22, 2023.