Canadian hoops boom just getting started
What a couple of weeks it’s been for Canadian basketball.
First, the only NBA team that plies its trade north of the border won the NBA title. Then a record six Canadians were selected in Thursday’s NBA draft, including four in the first round, which was also a new high. It also broke France’s record for most NBA picks born outside of the United States in one draft.
How crazy was the Canadian boom on Thursday night? Four draftees hailed from Ontario (and a fifth grew up there), more than from any U.S. state besides New York or Indiana, which both produced four draftees. Europe as a whole produced only five draftees.
And three of the Ontarians went in the first round, including Mississauga’s R.J. Barrett, who went third overall and instantly became the face of the New York Knicks.
“It’s amazing to be Canadian. We take a lot of pride,” Barrett said shortly after being selected.
“That’s why I’ve got my Canadian flags on this side of my jacket. To put it on for our country, that means a lot.”
Barrett even successfully predicted that six Canucks would be selected on the night.
Toronto’s Nickeil Alexander-walker ended up in New Orleans with No. 1 pick Zion Williamson a year after his cousin, Shai Gilgeous-alexander of Hamilton, went to the Los Angeles Clippers in the lottery.
Barrett was the third-highest Canadian selection, after No. 1 picks Anthony Bennett (2013) and Andrew Wiggins (2014), and it was the sixth time in seven years that at least one Canadian went in the first round.
What does that mean to Alexander-walker?
“I feel like it’s showing more and more kids that were in my position that you can one day be here, just like I am,” he said. “I know guys like Andrew Wiggins and Tyler Ennis gave me hope. Hopefully, more Canadians who get selected can kind of give those kids and other generations hope.”
Brandon Clarke went 21st and will be playing in Memphis after being dealt there, teaming up with No. 2 pick Ja Morant and a bunch of ex-raptors as that franchise rebuilds post-mike Conley and Marc Gasol.
He hasn’t spent a lot of time in Canada, having moved from Vancouver to Arizona when he was three, but still has family there and has said he hopes to play for the national team.
“I’m somebody who grew up watching (Steve) Nash play and I always thought it was really cool that he was from Canada because I am, too,” Clarke said. “R.J. Barrett, obviously, is somebody who’s going to be huge for them. So it’s just really cool seeing the next big player coming out of Canada.
“I just feel like there’s lots of talent coming out of there now. I’m not sure why it took so long, but I would just say probably because basketball is getting bigger and bigger … and also with the Raptors winning, that’s going to make it even bigger.”
Not long after Clarke was drafted, the fourth first-rounder from the North came off the board, with Mfiondu Kabengele ending up with the Los Angeles Clippers. The nephew of Dikembe Mutombo, who has many family members in Canada, was the 27th pick.
In the second round, the Knicks gave Barrett a familiar playmate in Ignas Brazdeikis, Barrett’s former Canadian junior team teammate.
And finally, Ottawa saw its first-ever NBA draft pick, when Marial Shayok went 54th to the Philadelphia 76ers.
Meanwhile, several other Canadians received NBA Summer League invites. Lindell Wigginton of Nova Scotia will play in Las Vegas for the Raptors.