Canadians await the call at NBA Draft

With the Larry O’Brien Trophy returning to the Bay Area for the fourth time in eight years, the eyes of the basketball world turn east towards New York City and the 2022 NBA Draft. Since Rick Fox heard his name called by David Stern at the 1991 draft as the newest member of the Boston Celtics, 32 other Canadians have been selected.

The 2022 draft – set for Thursday, June 23 at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center – looks to carry on this legacy, with four Canadians likely to be selected. There is also a very good chance for two Canadians to be taken with lottery picks for the first time since 2014 when Vaughan, Ont.’s newly minted NBA champion Andrew Wiggins went first overall to the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Sacramento Kings used the eighth overall selection on Nik Stauskas of Mississauga, Ont.

The number of Canadians to be drafted in Brooklyn could have been higher if there weren’t a number of late withdrawals by Canadian players among the 112 players who opted out.

Fort Erie, Ont.’s Leonard Miller, a 6-foot-11 forward, surprisingly withdrew his candidacy to sign with the G-League Ignite and will re-enter the draft in 2023. Fardaws Aimaq, a high-scoring centre from Vancouver who spent the last three seasons at Utah Valley, withdrew from the draft and has since transferred to Texas Tech for his final year of collegiate eligibility. Winnipeg’s Emmanuel Akot also withdrew, with the Boise State guard appearing primed for a transfer as well, with NC State emerging as a likely destination.

Even with the opt-outs, draft night should still be a big one for Canadian basketball. Let’s look at four players who will very likely be getting a new baseball hat and a handshake a from Adam Silver.

Age: 19Position: SG/SFHometown: Mississauga,