One of sports' greatest events, March Madness officially tips off on Thursday as 64 of the best college basketball programs in the NCAA will square off in a single knockout playoff to determine the 2014 National Champion in one of the month's most watched sports events. With games on from morning to nearly midnight during opening weekend there is plenty of basketball for everyone and the games generally provide some of the best excitement you can find anywhere.
From buzzer beaters to cap off thrilling back and forth games, to national powerhouses being upset by small schools nobody has ever heard of and underdogs from across the world becoming basketball stars in just three short weeks.
A new tradition of the tournament is the Canadian pipeline of talent taking center stage, gone are the days of Steve Nash being the only Canadian hero in March during his days in the 90's with Santa Clara University and in are the days where Canadians take center stage. From Brady Heslip and the Baylor Bears making a run to the Elite Eight in 2012 to Nik Stauskas and the Michigan Wolverines making it to the National Championship last year there are Canadians playing prominent roles on a large number of teams come tournament time each year putting Canada Basketball on the map.
With that being said here are five Canadian players you should watch during the opening weekend of March Madness.
Nik Stauskas, Michigan
Stauskas came into Michigan as a skinny sharpshooting shooting guard from Ontario whose stroke from downtown was deadly enough to earn him a spot in a Wolverines rotation that included current NBA players Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr. After a disappointing loss to Louisville in the title game last year Stauskas and the returning Michigan players dedicated themselves to hitting the gym and improving for the 2013/14 season which resulted in Michigan's first outright conference championship in over a decade.
The Big Ten Player of the Year can dazzle with his long range shooting and has developed a crossover dribble and passing game that has turned him from just another college player who can stretch the floor with his shooting to one of the best guards in the country. There are better NBA prospects from Canada in this tournament, but few can excite and lead their team like Stauskas.
Andrew Wiggins, Kansas
This wouldn't be much of a list without Andrew Wiggins, the golden child of Canadian basketball who is expected to be one of the top picks in the NBA draft this summer after being the most highly prized high school basketball recruit in recent history. After some initial struggles in getting comfortable with his surroundings with the Kansas Jayhawks, Wiggins has taken over recently and will be looking to increase his draft value and add to his already growing legacy as a potential future legend with a deep NCAA Tournament run. If there is anybody who could put their team on their back and carry them to the Final Four and a National Championship it could be Wiggins, who is already slated as Canada Basketball's savior without playing a single NBA game.
Melvin Ejim, Iowa State
Toronto's Ejim has been Wiggins biggest rival in the Big 12 conference this season and even beat out the star freshman for Big 12 Player of the Year after a productive final year at Iowa State where Ejim did it all. Rebounding, interior scoring, three point scoring you name it an Ejim does it for the Iowa State Cyclones who upset the Jayhawks in the Big 12 Conference Tournament semifinals. A four year senior in today's modern game, Ejim is a throwback student athlete who also has the game to put himself on the highlight reels each night and could help Iowa State make a shock run to the Final Four this month.
Brady Heslip, Baylor
Heslip was Nik Stauskas before Nik Stauskas blew up as Canada's best outside shooter in the NCAA during Baylor's surprise run to the Elite Eight in 2012. Now a veteran on the Bears, Heslip and Baylor appear to be peaking at the right time and have hopes of making the Final Four in their home state of Texas. If they want to accomplish that feat they will need Heslip's shooting as he has one of the best three point percentages in college basketball.
Jordan Bachynksi, Arizona State
This list wouldn't be complete without a post player and there is no better Canadian center in the NCAA than Bachynski who is one of the best shot blockers out there. Averaging 4.1 blocks per game Bachyn-ski is a force to be reckoned with in the paint and also provides an array of solid footwork in the low post to score down low for the Sun Devils.
Arizona State are the biggest underdogs on the list of players to watch, but as a #10 seed the Sun Devils will be looking to make some noise going up against #7 seed Texas in a game that historically can provide upsets which bodes well for their chances. Going up against one of the best rebounding teams in the nation in the Longhorns it is unlikely that the Sun Devils get to the second round of the tournament without a massive game from Bachynski who will be playing a key role in the opening games of the tournament as a guarantee.
