Cavaliers take Canadian Bennett with No. 1 pick in NBA draft

Watch: Anthony Bennett discusses his surprise at being selected first overall

NEW YORK – The Cleveland Cavaliers have selected UNLV freshman Anthony Bennett with the No. 1 pick, a surprising start to the NBA draft.

The Brampton, Ont., native became the first Canadian to go number one overall in the NBA draft.

The Cavaliers passed on big men Nerlens Noel and Alex Len in favour of the forward who has starred for Canada’s junior national teams and was the Mountain West Conference player of the year.

There was drama right until the end Thursday, either because the Cavs were unsure who they wanted or were trying to trade the pick.

Bennett collected Mountain West Conference freshman of the year while playing at UNLV, and was a projected top-five NBA draft pick.

“He’s come and taken UNLV from obscurity, catapulted them into the tournament, he’s one of the leading scorers among freshman in the NCAA (with 16.1 points a night),” Rowan Barrett, executive vice-president of Canada’s men’s program, told The Canadian Press. 

Prime Minister Stephen Harper posted on Twitter “Congrats to @AnthonyBennett for being the first Cdn ever drafted #1 overall in the NBA draft. Good luck in Cleveland, we’re all behind you.”

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Bennett has been sidelined since having rotator cuff surgery in May, and didn’t participate in the draft combine or any pre-draft workouts. The 20-year-old clearly impressed in his interviews – he interviewed for the top five teams in the draft – and his play in college last season.

Bennett had surgery a few weeks after the Runnin’ Rebels were upset in the second round of March Madness in a 64-61 loss to California, but said Wednesday he wasn’t concerned the injury would hurt his chances in the draft. He was bang on.

The Canadian had between 25 and 30 family members with him in New York, and strode across the stage dressed in a scarlet and grey suit – UNLV colours.

Tristan Thompson of Brampton, Ont., was selected No. 4 by the Cavaliers in the 2011 draft, making him the highest Canadian draft pick before Thursday.

Steve Nash of Victoria held the previous Canadian record, going 15th overall to the Phoenix Suns in 1996.

– With files from Lori Ewing of The Canadian Press