NEW YORK — Tyler Ennis was asked if he was rooting for Andrew Wiggins to be the No. 1 overall pick.

As a friend and former AAU teammate — and fellow Canadian — Ennis couldn’t say no.

“I think so. I think so,” the former Syracuse point guard said with a smile at the NBA Draft Media Day on Wednesday. “… To have seven potential draftees, potentially the No. 1 pick, potentially two other lottery picks…is something that Canada is going to remember forever.”

Canadian players have slowly been getting their feet in the door of the NBA Draft the past three years, but this year’s draft could be the one where Canadians burst through.

Ennis joins top prospect Andrew Wiggins and former Michigan sharpshooter Nik Stauskas as the core of a group of eight Canadians who could all be first-round picks in Thursday night’s NBA Draft. One Canadian-born player was drafted from 2006-2010 and in the three draft classes since, seven have been selected — including former SU forward Kris Joseph. 

This current class, however, could break it open for the future of Canadian basketball, and a Canada native could very well be the first overall selection in the draft.

“It would mean a lot to me,” Wiggins said. “It would mean a lot to my country, too. I want to make my country proud. It’s really great, Tyler, Nik and I are all proud to represent our country.”

Right out of high school, Ennis played for Team Canada in the FIBA U-19 World Championship and led the tournament in scoring while going up against professional players. 

That experience, he said, proved valuable in helping him thrive in his first year with the Orange and putting him in a position to leap to the NBA.

“Coming from Canada, it’s not the same as American players who grow up in front of the eyes of these scouts and analysts who get to know them,” Ennis said. “We show up on the scene when we’re 15 and have three summers to get our name out there.”

Wiggins was easily discovered, Ennis said. He had to work his way up.

But regardless of how they got to this point, they’re here — with an unprecedented slew of fellow Canadians, and Ennis says there are more on the way.

“I think the foundation is being built as we speak,” Ennis said. “We might not ever have this many, but we’re definitely going to have future players in the draft. Whenever a Canadian is drafted, I think the whole country kind of bands behind them and takes pride in the pick.”

Published on June 25, 2014 at 4:54 pm

Contact Phil: pmdabbra@syr.edu | @PhilDAbb