In what was already a record-setting draft for Canadian basketball, Thornhill鈥檚 Andrew Wiggins was taken first overall in the 2014 NBA entry draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Wiggins was joined by fellow Canadians Nik Stauskas, chosen eighth overall by the Sacramento Kings, and Tyler Ennis, chosen 18th overall by the Phoenix Suns.
The three players could be joined by as many as five other homegrown prospects by the end of Thursday night, which is a record for number of Canadians eligible for the draft.
Going into the draft, these Canadian players currently enrolled at U.S. colleges could be selected to play in the National Basketball Association:
- Andrew Wiggins of Thornhill, Ont., a small forward for the University of Kansas Jayhawks
- Nik Stauskas of Mississauga, Ont., a guard for the University of Michigan Wolverines
- Tyler Ennis of Brampton, Ont., a point guard for the Syracuse University Orange
- Khem Birch of Montreal, a power forward for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Rebels
- Melvin Ejim of Toronto, a small forward and power forward for the Iowa State University Cyclones
- Jordan Bachynski of Toronto, a centre for the Arizona State University Sun Devils
- Dwight Powell of Toronto, a power forward for the Stanford University Cardinal
- Sim Bhullar, a centre for the New Mexico State Aggies
Previous Canadian basketball statistics
The record for most Canadians taken in a draft is five, which happened in 1983.
The NBA draft is divided in two rounds, with 30 picks per round. Though three were drafted overall, Canada hasn't had more than two players in the first round of the NBA draft in the past 20 years.
Records that may be broken this year
In addition to the record more than doubled by a potential eight Canadian NBA draft picks, The record for first round picks in a single year may be broken.
This year, three of the seven players expected to be drafted, Wiggins, Stauskas and Ennis, may be first-round draft picks.
Since Steve Nash was drafted in the first round in 1996, a total of only eight players have been first-round NBA picks.
The 'NBA generation'
Andrew Wiggins may be the first pick overall, following in the footsteps of Canadian player Anthony Bennett, who was the first overall draft pick in 2013.
Canada joined the NBA with two new teams, the Vancouver Grizzlies and the Toronto Raptors, in 1995. The new teams set the stage for players like Wiggins, who was born the same year.
"He's part of this NBA generation. All these kids grew up with the game of basketball. They saw it, they could feel it, taste it, touch it," on Thursday morning.
"As a result, to be an NBA player, to say you want to do that has become a realistic goal for a lot of these kids and it's just really special to see where the game is going with all the talent we have in our country."
Born two years before the NBA reached Canadian soil, Nik Stauskas is also part of the "NBA generation" of young adults who grew up watching Canadian NBA teams.
Though the Grizzlies relocated to Memphis, Tenn. in 2001, the Raptors remain as inspiration for Canadian players and fans.
"Canada's always been good in basketball but we've never had the notoriety," his on Thursday.
Not just numbers
Stauskas was expected to be in the top 15, though his mother said she tells him not to stress about numbers.
"You've already won in the sense that you're in the draft. Don't worry about it. It doesn't matter where you land."
With files from Kendra Mangione
