Canadians made history in last year's NBA Draft.
With the first overall selection, the Cleveland Cavaliers shocked the basketball world by picking Brampton, Ont.'s Anthony Bennett. It was the first time in NBA history a Canadian was taken with the first pick.
Later in the first round, Kelly Olynyk - who was born in Toronto, Ont. but moved to Kamloops, B.C. in Grade 7 - was selected 13th overall by the Dallas Mavericks, before immediately being flipped to the Boston Celtics. With Bennet and Olynyk both being picked in the top-14, it marked the first time in league history two Canadians were selected by lottery teams.
The influx of Canadians into the NBA will continue Thursday night at the Barclays Centre in Brooklyn, N.Y. during the 2014 NBA Draft.
Three Canadians have the potential to go in the first round, while some mock drafts have a total of seven players from north of the border being selected by the 60th and final pick.
Andrew Wiggins is the headliner from this group of Canadians. The 19-year-old guard from Thornhill, Ont. was considered to be the favourite to be the first pick in this draft for the last two years. He was supposed to be the first Canadian selected first overall before Bennett's surprise selection last year. However, during his first and only season at the University of Kansas last year, Wiggins was passed in mock drafts by Jayhawk teammate Joel Embiid.
The mock drafts shifted again late last week when it was announced Embiid suffered a broken foot during pre-draft workouts. Embiid's loss was Wiggins' gain as the Canadian once again is favoured to be the first pick in the draft.
Affectionately known as Maple Jordan, Wiggins found himself under the microscope all season in Kansas, with every mistake or success being dissected by both the American and Canadian media. It seemed like every time Kansas played, it was featured on TSN or TSN2. During his time in Kansas, Wiggins averaged 17.1 points and 5.9 rebounds a game. Critics came out again during his third round game in the NCAA tournament against Stanford. He was held to just four points, making only one shot during the game. His potential has kept him near the top of the draft. It would not be a surprise to hear Wiggins' name be called first by new NBA commissioner Adam Silver.
The second Canadian expected to go in the first round is Mississauga, Ont.'s Nik Stauskas. The six-foot-six guard declared for the NBA Draft after his sophomore season at the University of Michigan.
Stauskas went to Michigan with the reputation as a three-point specialist. Videos on YouTube were spread of him making 70 of 76 three-point attempts, including 46 straight completions, outside in his backyard. A great number, but even more impressive when you add in the fact it was raining. During his first year on campus, Stauskas attempted seven shots per game for an average of 11.0 points per game. His best game of his freshman year came in the Elite 8 of the NCAA Tournament. Stauskas scored 22 points, while making all six of his three-point attempts. As Michigan made the finals, his production dropped off, scoring only three points in the final two games.
His role in the offence increased dramatically from his freshman season, where he was not the first option on offence. Once Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr. declared for last year's draft, Stauskas became the focal point of the offence. In his final year with the Wolverines, Stauskas scored 17.5 points per game and added 3.3 assists per game. His play earned the sophomore the Big 10 player of the year award.
In this year's draft, mock drafts list Stauskas going between the ninth and 16th pick. If he went to the Charlotte Hornets with the ninth pick, he would create space for the offence just by stepping on the court. It would allow room for guard Kemba Walker to cut into the paint and kick the ball out. He would also create room for forward/centre Al Jefferson in the post.
The final Canadian expected to be picked in the first round is Syracuse freshman point guard Tyler Ennis from Brampton, Ont. In one season at Syracuse, Ennis averaged 12.9 points and 5.5 assists per game. He led the Orange to 28 wins, including a dramatic 58-56 win against Pittsburgh in February where he hit a half-court shot to win the game.
While not as fast as other point guards in the draft, Ennis has a high basketball IQ. He rarely makes the wrong pass on offence and keeps the game at a responsible pace for his team. Based on the famous Syracuse zone he played, defence could potentially be a question mark at the professional level with his foot speed.
Ennis is projected to go in the second half of the first round, with many projections having the point guard being picked at the tail end of the top 20. If he falls that far, the hometown Toronto Raptors could be waiting with open arms to select the Canadian. Both of Toronto's point guards from last season, Kyle Lowry and Greivis Vasquez, are set to become free agents July 1. Sliding Ennis into the backup role behind either one of those players allows him to develop and eventually become the starter.
The second and final round is where things become more unpredictable. Four Canadians have been in talks of being selected between the 31st and 60th picks of the draft.
Dwight Powell has a strong chance of being selected as projections show him being drafted in the top half of the second round. Powell, a six-foot-eleven power forward from Toronto, played four seasons as a member of the Standford Cardinal. His best statistical season was his junior year, average just under 15 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. Powell had two strong games in the NCAA tournament, one against the second-seeded Kansas Jayhawks.
Another name in the top half of the second round is UNLV's Khem Birch, a six-foot-nine power forward from Montreal, Que. In his junior season at UNLV, Birch scored 11.5 points and brought down 10.2 rebounds per game. According to reports from draft insiders, Birch has been "impressing" scouts in pre-draft workouts.
Two other names are on the fringe. Iowa State's Melvin Ejim, also from Toronto, was named the Big 12 player of the year over potential top three picks Wiggins and Embiid. Calgary's Jordan Bachynski also has a shot at being selected late in the second round.
Many media outlets call these players the "Sons of Carter" as Vince Carter popularized basketball in Canada during his six and a half seasons playing for the Raptors. Well, those kids have grown up and are ready to inspire a new generation.
