It’s a true-north-strong-and-free narrative in basketball these days: Canadians are taking over.
Well, maybe not taking over, but the last few years has certainly proven Canada to be a breeding ground of elite hoops talent. And at no time is this more evident than during March Madness. This year 28 Canadians will be a part of the action (spread across 18 teams) and looking to further make a name for themselves on college basketball’s biggest stage. And while there may not be an Andrew Wiggins-type star in the field this year, there’s still plenty of Canadian talent to get excited about.
Dylan Ennis, Villanova
After starting his college career as a point guard at Rice, Ennis transferred to Villanova last season and was moved to the two-spot, where his versatile game has allowed him to excel ever since. This season, he’s playing a career-high 28 minutes per game while starting for the No. 1 seed Wildcats, averaging a cool 10 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists and one steal a night. His three-point shooting has improved considerably compared to last season, climbing from 30 to 37 percent. Ennis reached double figures in scoring 18 times this year, and is the older brother of Milwaukee Bucks rookie point guard Tyler.
Oh, and he can do this:
Trey Lyles, Kentucky
Widely believed to be the highest-ranked Canadian on NBA draft boards, some prognosticators have Lyles as a projected lottery pick come June. The six-foot-10, 250-lb. freshman was born in Saskatoon and has been a key contributor during the Wildcats’ undefeated regular-season run. Lyles boasts a versatile arsenal on the offensive end and averaged 10.7 points and five boards over Kentucky’s last 10 games.
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Tevonn Walker, Valpariso
An increasingly popular upset pick, Valpariso turned heads on its way to a Horizon League title. So, too, did Walker, the Crusaders’ freshman guard. The six-foot-one Montreal native was Valpariso’s third-highest scorer this season at 10.2 ppg.
Dillon Brooks, Oregon
A physical forward, Brooks has really opened eyes in his freshman year with the Ducks. He’s started all but three games this season for the Pac-12 runners-up and flashed his all-around game throughout the season, highlighted by an outing versus Illinois that saw him contribute 24 points, five rebounds, four assists and two blocks—the kind of performance Oregon will need from its star first-year player. Brooks established himself at GTA powerhouses CIA Bounce and Father Henry Carr High School, and probably has the highest upside of any Canadian in college hoops today.
Kyle Wiltjer and Kevin Pangos, Gonzaga
Longtime friends and teammates in the Canadian national program, Wiltjer and Pangos have combined to form one of the NCAA’s most potent duos, with the sharpshooting and playmaking ability of Pangos providing a nice complement to Wiltjer’s all-around game and increasingly dangerous inside attack. Pangos has been a key contributor to the Bulldogs’ success in recent years, but Wiltjer has been a revelation since transferring over from Kentucky two seasons ago (he had to sit out last season). The six-foot-10 forward averaged nearly 17 points and six rebounds a game while shooting a killer 53 percent from the field and 46.6 percent from three-point land.
Daniel Mullings and New Mexico State
Based on numbers alone, the Aggies should be Canada’s adopted team this March. With five Canucks on the roster, New Mexico State has that market cornered. Headlining the bunch is guard Daniel Mullings, a senior from Toronto averaging 12.6 points and five rebounds who has topped 15 points eight times this season despite missing 12 games. Rounding out the list are Matthew Taylor, Jalyn Pennie, Rashawn Brown and Tanveer Bhullar, younger brother of former Aggies standout Sim.
Dyshawn Pierre, Dayton
Maybe the most athletic Canadian of the bunch, Pierre established himself during last year’s tourney, when he helped Dayton go on an improbable run before losing to Florida in the third round, a game in which he dropped 18 points on 7-of-11 shooting. Dayton will part in the play-in game for the second year in a row Wednesday night in its home gym. Here’s hoping the Flyers advance, because then maybe we’ll get to see something like this from the Whitby, Ont. native:
Jarryn Skeete and Rodell Wigginton, Buffalo
The two junior guards have been key contributors for coach Bobby Hurley’s Bulls all season long, helping the program punch its first-ever ticket to the big dance. Skeete, who hails from Brampton, Ont., reached scored double-digits in 13 games this season, while Wigginton, a native of Dartmouth, N.S., averaged 4.5 rebounds out of the backcourt.
Chris Egi and Agunwa Okolie, Harvard
Okolie, a junior guard from Ajax, Ont., may not put up big numbers but, logging more than 25 minutes a game, he is a big part of Harvard’s success, starting all but one game this season. It remains to be seen how much the freshmen Egi will see the floor for the Crimson, but the uber-talented forward from Markham, Ont., is a name to remember beyond the tournament.
Naz Long, Iowa State
After proving himself as a lethal sixth man and long-range specialist last season, Long has excelled in a starting role for the Cyclones this season. He’s shooting 40 percent from three on nearly six attempts per game, and had nine games of three or more makes from deep this season. Needless to say a few more of those performances will certainly help his team’s chances of advancing.
