2019/20 Canadian Wave

[BilboBanginz]

Lindell Wigginton was mocked in the first round by a lot of outlets before his injury, and has since fallen. He's supposed to back before the X-Mas break. It'll be interesting to see if he'll make his way back into the first round conversation.

[mojo13]

Lindell Wigginton was mocked in the first round by a lot of outlets before his injury, and has since fallen. He's supposed to back before the X-Mas break. It'll be interesting to see if he'll make his way back into the first round conversation.

Yep....he is another that has to be in the conversation. So much can happen between now and June that no one is a sure thing in the 2019 1st to me besides Barrett. But the sheer volume of another 7-9 names listed here, makes me believe there will be 4 guys drafted in the first, with a couple seniors like Kyle Alexander or Marial Shayok maybe in the 2nd as well.

Dort, Simi, NAW, Clarke, Brazdeikis, Brissett, Wiggninton, and even Nembhard....could be firsts, could stay - or some could slip out of draft contention completely.

My best bet on who is a 2019 first as of today is Barrett, Dort, NAW and Clarke. After that I feel the guys are more likely to stay another year. But we are still early...

[No-Man]

No way Brissett, Wigginton and Nembhard go in the 1st, and I doubt any of those guys actually declare, the other 6 are all real prospects and top25 in my book

[clyde21]

Lindell Wigginton was mocked in the first round by a lot of outlets before his injury, and has since fallen. He's supposed to back before the X-Mas break. It'll be interesting to see if he'll make his way back into the first round conversation.

Yep....he is another that has to be in the conversation. So much can happen between now and June that no one is a sure thing in the 2019 1st to me besides Barrett. But the sheer volume of another 7-9 names listed here, makes me believe there will be 4 guys drafted in the first, with a couple seniors like Kyle Alexander or Marial Shayok maybe in the 2nd as well.

Dort, Simi, NAW, Clarke, Brazdeikis, Brissett, Wiggninton, and even Nembhard....could be firsts, could stay - or some could slip out of draft contention completely.

My best bet on who is a 2019 first as of today is Barrett, Dort, NAW and Clarke. After that I feel the guys are more likely to stay another year. But we are still early...

I see Braz, Brissett, Wigginton and Nembhard all returning, and they probably should (even though I'm not sure what another year would do to a guy like Brissett).

So it'll be Alexander-Walker, Dort, Barrett, and Clarke for sure in the first, and probably Simi. Good Canadian class.

[mojo13]

Most that follow the growth of Canadian basketball know there is another wave of very solid Canadian talent with NBA potential coming through the NCAA right now. For those that don't it may be interesting to note that various major mock drafts include no less than six Canadians in the 1st round for 2019 including:

RJ Barrett (Duke)
Simi $hittu (Vanderbilt)
Nickeil Alexander-Walker (Virginia Tech)
Oshae Brissett (Syracuse)
Lindell Wigginton (ISU)
Luguentz Dort (ASU)


With a few more potential sleepers who could breakout this year or next include:
Brandon Clarke (Gonzaga) - I think is on a mock or two as a 2nd rounder.
Kyle Alexander (Tennessee) - landed on an ESPN 1st round mock at some point in 2018
Mfiondu Kabengele (FSU) - NBA size, athleticism potential, but really needs to progress skills wise.
Emmanuel Akot (Arizona) - on many 1st round mocks this time last year, but had a rough ride as a rookie - perhaps he bounce's back for the Wildcats.
Iggy Bradzeikus - Michigan. Looked really good during their trip to Spain, led the team in scoring. Beilein has been raving about him. Not sure if he has NBA physical tools - but looks like he will be a great college player at least.
Andrew Nembhard - Florida. Looked great at the u19 FIBA Americas and with the Canadian SMNT in July. Have not seen him on mocks yet as his physical/athletic profile doesn't scream NBA. Pure PG though and will excel at Florida.


Of course not all these guys will work out - some will not declare this year, some may have a down year, be exposed or get injured - but I don't recall a time when so many Canadians could be drafted in the next year or two. My over/under for Canadians selected in the 2019 1st round is 3.5. But it would not be a stretch to see 5 or more.

I am curious of what others might think of some of these guys potential - RJ Barrett has been discussed to death so maybe leave him alone. I am more curious of what you guys think of the more obscure guys like Dort, Brissett, Alexander Walker, or Wigginton as legit prospects. Or if the outside guys looking in like Akot, Alexander, Clarke, Nembhard, Bradzeikis and Kabengele have a chance.

We talk about it enough on our Canada Basketball thread (Raptors forum) - but I'm interested in some non-biased outside perspectives.

Thought I'd revisit this as we are far enough into the season to form a fairly decent view. I re-order the names based on their drafttyness for 2019:

RJ Barrett (Duke) - I've been mildly disappointed with his inefficiency and decision making, but still a top 3-5 lock and still mostly likely #2 overall.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker (Virginia Tech) - been very impressed with the jump he's made this year, and love his efficiency. Seems a consensus lottery pick.
Brandon Clarke (Gonzaga) - I've fallen in love with Clarke and personally a huge stan. I can easily see a team taking him in the late lottery and that could be far too low.
Marial Shayok (ISU) - Didnt mention him above but he's look fantastic and impressively consistent. Although old, it seems like he could easily be picked up in the 2nd.


Luguentz Dort (ASU) - has struggled of late and my enthusiasm has been slipping after a great start. Still think he is a NBA prospect, but perhaps not in 2019. Still seems another year would do him well but if he finishes the season well, I could see him in the back half of 2019.
Iggy Brazdeikus - Michigan. He's been fantastic (much better than anticipated) but with some ups and downs in conference play. Like Dort, he looks an NBA prospect but I'm not sure about this year. Could see him in the back half of the first or returning for another year.
Mfiondu Kabengele (FSU) - been really impressed with Kabengele as of late and one of my more pleasant surprise after Clarke. He could work is way into draft conversation for 2019.
Lindell Wigginton (ISU) - struggling since coming back from injury but the last two games were the best of the season. I considered him off the draft radar for 2019, but if he keeps playing like the last two, he could work himself back in?

Simi $hittu (Vanderbilt) - Maybe the biggest disappointment so far. Perhaps his ACL injury is still lingering but he has been atrocious on defense. That with no outside shooting has me questioning whether he is even an NBA prospect. He still has some very interesting skills, but certainly needs to return for another year.
AJ Lawson (SC) - I didn't mention him above, but he has turned out to be a legit prospect. Probably not 2019 as there still seems much he needs to work on.
Oshae Brissett (Syracuse) - I'm not really seeing a NBA prospect here, but he has been better as of late. Likely returns for another year.
Andrew Nembhard - Florida - he has been pretty good. As advertised from my perspective - I thought of him as a multiyear player and a fringe NBA prospect.
Kyle Alexander (Tennessee) - he's been pretty good and consistent for the Vols, just not NBA good. He should have a nice career overseas.
Emmanuel Akot (Arizona) - swing and a miss here. Done with Arizona, transferring out. Not sure how he was ever a 5 star. Perhaps it was just an awful fit in Tucson?



Clarke has been the huge surprise for the year no matter what else happens (I heard many rumblings of how good he was from Zag fans during the season he sat out, but he has been unbelievably good). Brazdeikis and Dort have been much better than expected as well.

[mojo13]

As we get into June and we are getting more clarity this is shaping up nicely as a historic moment in Canadian bball history. Maybe this may not be of too much interest to the Americans on this thread but it is pretty crazy to think about for Canadians. There could be 6 Canadians drafted in the 1st round and a few more in the 2nd.

As a recap the following 10 Canadians have remained in the draft process: RJ Barrett, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Brandon Clarke
Luguentz Dort, Iggy Brazdeikus, Mfiondu Kabengele, Lindell Wigginton, Simi $hittu, Oshae Brissett and as a senior Marial Shayok.
While Andrew Nembhard and AJ Lawson have appropriately returned to school.

Consensus is that RJ Barrett, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Brandon Clarke are locks for the first round. And now more recently Mfiondu Kabengele seems high probability with him showing up as high as 14 in recent Mocks (DraftExpress). Sam Vecenie has stated multiple GMs have told him Kabengele is a Top 25 lock.

It seem Luguentz Dort is a bit of a coin flip for the 1st - showing up in the late 20's in a number of Mocks. But could easily be a early 2nd pick.

Iggy Brazdeikis has publicly stated he was told he's in the 20-40 range - although I think he is more in the 35 to undrafted range.

Any of Simi $hittu, Oshae Brissett, Marial Shayok and Lindell Wigginton could show up in the 2nd (or easily go undrafted) - Brissett surprisingly had two very good Combines and is perhaps climbing into the 2nd round after not being in the Top 100 prior.
At the very least those last four will be in the Summer league, all likely get a camp invites and couple could end up with a two-way or even a guaranteed UFA deal. They'll get NBA looks and either way will all likely spend most (or all) of their time in the G next year.

All in -we are looking at 4-6 in the first and as many as 10 drafted over all (I highly doubt it is that high - more likely in the 6-7 range). Clarke and Kabengele have been the biggest surprises for most Canadians this year as neither were on many people's radars as 1st round prospects.

Canada is at 13 guys in the NBA (counting two, 2-ways) - 2019/2020 could get us closer to 20 (assuming some churn out from guys like Naz Long or maybe Nik Stauskas).