Quartet of intriguing Canadians could land in 1st round of NBA draft

It's no longer a question of if.

When it comes to Canadians in the NBA draft, the relevant inquiries are now "how many" and "how high?"

The country has consistently produced impactful players in recent years, from Jamal Murray's breakout in the 2020 bubble to former No. 1 pick Andrew Wiggins' star turn with the Warriors in the 2022 Finals.

In the upcoming NBA draft, four more Canadians are set to enter the league, and two are widely projected to be picked in the top 10.

Shaedon Sharpe, Bennedict Mathurin, Andrew Nembhard and Caleb Houstan travelled different routes to Thursday's life-changing event, but all four could wind up at a similar destination: playing a key role on a contending NBA team.

Sharpe's journey is nearly unprecedented in recent years. The London, Ont., native was granted college eligibility in January and joined Kentucky, with the original intention to learn with the team and prepare for the 2023 season.

But the intrigue surrounding the former top-ranked high schooler within NBA teams grew, and Sharpe, now 19, declared for the draft.

Canadian basketball scout Wes Brown said the mystery could work in Sharpe's favour.

The smooth-shooting six-foot-six point guard will be one of few prospects to enter the NBA straight out of high school since the "one-and-done" rule was instituted for the 2006 draft.

Rather than risk injury or poor play at Kentucky next season, Sharpe appears headed for selection in the top 10. He'll take whatever lumps may come in the NBA along with a professional paycheque.

And all that potential could come out against the best players in the world. Brown said the ideal landing spot for Sharpe would be on a rebuilding team like the Oklahoma City Thunder, who could provide the opportunity