The New York Knicks have taken RJ Barrett third overall in the NBA draft, kicking off what could be a record-setting night for Canadian basketball.
A native of Mississauga, Ont., and a star with Duke, the six-foot-seven Barrett was the highest-ranked player from his country on a large list of Canadians available to be drafted.
WATCH: Courtesy NBA TV – Toronto native RJ Barrett said “Canada basketball is on the rise” after being drafted 3rd overall by the New York Knicks on Thursday. Barrett also showed off his bilingualism answering a question in French.
Canada entered the 60-pick event with a realistic shot of setting or matching a record for most players picked from any country outside the United States in a single draft. The record was set by France with five in 2016.
Vancouver-born and Arizona-raised Brandon Clarke of Gonzaga, Toronto’s Nickeil Alexander-Walker of Virginia Tech and Burlington, Ont., native Mfiondu Kabengele of Florida State also were invited to the green room as top prospects for Thursday’s draft.
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Several other Canadians were thought to be candidates to go later in the draft.
WATCH: Courtesy NBA TV – The New Orleans Pelicans selected Toronto’s Nickeil Alexander-Walker with the 17th overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft Thursday
The evening was a continuation of a memorable week for Canadian basketball. A massive crowd cheered on the NBA champion Raptors during a parade and rally in downtown Toronto on Monday, four days after the team became the first squad from outside the U.S., to capture the crown.