The NBA draft is becoming an event that Canadian sports fans have to pay attention to. This year, Andrew Wiggins, Tyler Ennis, and Nik Stauskas will likely be taken in the first round and up to five more Canadians selected could be selected.
Wiggins is the headliner - the most-hyped Canadian basketball prospect ever. If he's not the first overall pick, he won't have to wait long to hear his name called. If he does go No. 1, it'll be consecutive years that a Canadian is the top pick after Cleveland took Anthony Bennett in 2013. Wiggins a tremendous athlete and projects to be an elite wing defender. There are questions about his shot and whether or not he'll be a good shooter in the NBA but he's still a lock to be one of the first three picks.
Stauskas really helped his draft stock by excelling in a larger role in his sophomore year at Michigan. He's regarded as the best shooter of the 2014 class and showed he's a capable ball-handler and passer. He could be drafted anywhere between Charlotte with the ninth pick and Phoenix at fourteen.
Ennis wasn't expected to be a one-and-done player but his play this season at Syracuse moved the 19-year-old point guard up draft boards. Poised with the ball in his hands and smart decision-maker, Ennis falling to the Raptors at No. 20 is a distinct possibility.
Thursday night promises to be a historic night for Canadian basketball. Wiggins is still in play at No. 1 and for the first time ever three Canadians should go in the first round. It remains to be seen how many more of their countrymen join them.
To keep up with Wiggins, Stauskas, Ennis and the rest of the Canadians on the board follow the NBA draft with our 2014 NBA draft tracker.
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