The 2022 NBA Draft may not be for another month as it is scheduled to take place on Thursday, June 23, however there is a lot of movement regarding who will be eligible for the teams in the league to choose and select.
Indeed, the talent pool is already looking rather stacked in terms of the quality that those coming through the college game can provide, but there is a lot of excitement regarding the prospects to come out of Canada.
There are a number of players who have been impressive on the court for their university programs that hail from the Maple Leaf Country, which is why there are a handful of individuals worth checking out.
Of course, this could come as a welcome distraction for those in Canada as they will not necessarily have had a great time this season watching basketball, as they would have seen the Toronto Raptors go out in the NBA playoffs at the first stage following a series defeat to the Philadelphia 76ers.
Although many are now able to place bets on the NBA and enjoy the odds that are available, they are likely going to have to place a bet on the Golden State Warriors to win the NBA Finals this season now they are unable to back the home team. Hopefully, there will be some Canadians to play in the NBA Finals in the future and bring some glory to the Maple Leaf Country, including the GSW’s Andrew Wiggins.
In fact, as of writing, there are a number of exciting talents that have made themselves eligible for the upcoming 2022 NBA Draft. This article will explore some of those names and why they are thought to be worth keeping an eye on.
Let’s take a look at the prospects that have attracted a lot of attention:
Shaedon Sharpe – Kentucky Wildcats
For many, there is no one more exciting to hail from Canada that has made themselves eligible for the upcoming 2022 NBA Draft than Shaedon Sharpe. The Kentucky Wildcats shooting guard is one that many around the entirety of North America have been excited by, despite the fact that he is still only 18.
Born in the City of London, Ontario, many expect the player to be a superstar once he does eventually make it into the league, with it believed he will go in the first round. In fact, many feel that he could follow in the footsteps of Anthony Bennett and Andrew Wiggins and be the third Canadian to be selected as the No. 1 overall pick.
Sharpe is argued to be the most complete basketball prospect from a Canadian high school ever and has since become one of the best players in the country at the college level with the Wildcats. If he is unable to get drafted – which seems extremely unlikely – he will then remain eligible to play in the college game for another year.
Benedict Mathurin – Arizona Wildcats
Benedict Mathurin is another Canadian prospect to have made himself eligible and one that many believe could become a star in the NBA if selected and drafted by a team.
He helped the Arizona Wildcats win the PAC-12 conference title for the first time since the 2017/18 season as he led the team with an average of 17.7PPG, which also led to him becoming the second Canadian to win the PAC-12 Player of the Year award.
A sophomore, Mathurin is exciting and has all of the ability to have a successful career in the league, especially as a two-way player. It will be interesting to see where he is drafted.
Leonard Miller – Fort Erie Academy
Still only 18, Leonard Miller has recently made himself eligible for the NBA Draft, with the kid from Scarborough, Ontario, looking to repeat history and become the first kid from Canada to be selected straight from high school.
If he does, he would become the second-youngest Canadian to ever be selected, being just shy of a month younger than Joshua Primo who was selected by the San Antonio Spurs in last year’s Draft as a lottery selection.
Indeed, Miller has the opportunity to do the same, as well as all of the potential, as he averaged 32 points and 12 rebounds per game.
