The Future of Canadian Basketball

A few months back, in a hurry to fill in my article quota for the week… I made a piece revolving around Canada’s basketball future, putting a heavy focus on some of Canada’s current NBA players such as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Andrew Wiggins, and Jamal Murray. I put a slight touch on some of Canada’s uprising prospects working it out in college and high school, but I only grazed the surface on these riveting talents.

So for this week’s video story topic, I thought I’d dig deeper into this discussion and really dive into the literal FUTURE of Canadian Basketball.

Zach Edey – Purdue (NCAA)

Looking for a powerful, destructive, downright unfair player to have at the collegiate level? Look no further than Toronto’s very own Zach Edey. After only picking up basketball very recently, Edey has shown he has the potential to be a behemoth at the next level with his overpowering offensive upside and lockdown defence. Standing at an astonishing 7’4 and scaling out at 290lbs, there aren’t many folks in the NCAA that can supress the enormous Edey.

Shaedon Sharpe – University of Kentucky (NCAA)

Do you just salivate at the playstyle of Memphis’s Ja Morant? Well, in my eyes Shaedon Sharpe is the Canadian-edition of the highly praised NBA shooting guard. After going under the radar for a majority of his highschool career, Sharpe exploded on to the scene in his Sr. year at Dream City Christian in Glendale, Arizona, ultimately becoming a 5-star recruit and the number one ranked prospect in the country. He commited to Kentucky in 2021 and will most likely play as a redshirt for his freshman year, but come his sophomore season, Sharpe is expected to see tons of court time and put a ton of opposition defenders on posters.

Olivier Rioux – IMG Academy (Highschool)

I’ve been waiting to type ferociously over this kid…

Oliver Rioux… 7’5… 15-years-old… are you for real? Rioux started his basketball career playing in elementary school in his hometown of Montreal and he’s never looked back… only down on every single opponent he’s ever faced. I honestly feel guilty watching footage of him when he was 12, the disrespect is just on full-display. Rioux has taken his size down to the states where he now centres IMG Academy’s court with his hulking precense. The sky is the limit with Rioux with so much time to polish off his craft down in Florida.

Caleb Houstan – University of Michigan (NCAA)

The slinging sharpshooter out of Missisauga, Caleb Houstan, is a treat to watch once he gets hot. In the rise of players like Jayson Tatum and Ben Simmons, it’s no surprise tall guards like Houstan are having the lights shined on them. The 6’8 marksman is just as effective in the defensive end as he is from beyond the arc. Fluid form, solid basketball IQ, and a smooth release make Houstan a highly sought after shooting guard for the 2022 NBA Draft.

Elijah Fisher – Crestwood Prep (Highschool)

Quite possibly the greatest Canadian prospect we’ve seen since the highly athletic winger, Andrew Wiggins. Elijah Fisher looks to be just as, if not, more deadly than the former first-overall pick. Fisher better know a good carpenter, cause he’s blowing the roof off of every court he ventures to with his sublime dunks and contorted finishes. Add in a rapidly developing shot from beyond the arc and a lockdown game in his own end and you got an absolutely FILTHY winger/guard that can do a little bit of everything and break it all down to a science. I urge you… do not forget this name. I mean… good luck trying to, because you’re gonna be hearing a lot of it in the next few years.

With the rise in Canadian talents reaching the professional stage and the surging success of the Raptors over the past couple seasons, the future of Canadian basketball has been supplied with some pretty tremendous inspiration. I don’t know about you, but I’m ecstatic for the upcoming generation of Canadian talents and what effect they’ll have on our culture. The states may not have such an easy time steamrolling their way through international competition for long.

 

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