Michelle Plouffe, a three-time Olympian, has officially announced her retirement from international basketball. The 32-year-old athlete from Edmonton has made significant contributions to Canadian basketball, representing the country at the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

Throughout her career, Plouffe aided in securing back-to-back FIBA AmeriCup championships for Canada in 2015 and 2017.

Transition to 3×3 Basketball

After her accomplishments in traditional basketball, Plouffe shifted her focus towards 3×3 basketball. Alongside her twin sister, Katherine Plouffe, she played a pivotal role in developing the Canadian 3×3 program.

Her efforts helped Canada clinch numerous FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series titles, alongside a silver medal at the 2022 FIBA 3×3 World Cup and a commendable fourth-place finish at the Paris Olympics.

Recognition and Future Endeavors

As she transitions into retirement, Plouffe will join Canada Basketball’s high-performance staff, taking on the role of 3×3 performance manager. She is scheduled to be honored during the FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series stop in Edmonton on August 2.

In a recent statement, Plouffe expressed her motivations: “This journey has always been more than just playing basketball. It’s been about people, purpose, planting seeds and watching them grow.”

She further stated, “We never set out to be the best team in the world — we set out to be the best people to play with… We planted encouragement. We planted trust. We planted love. That’s what grew.”