NBA Draft 2019: Record number of Canadians selected in the first round of NBA Draft; breaks previous non-US drafted players record

A week after the Toronto Raptors sent Canada into a hoops hysteria, a record number of Canadians were selected in the first round of the 2019 NBA Draft and with two more from the north going in the second round have set a new record NBA Draft record.

The New York Knicks kicked things off by selecting RJ Barrett third overall. Nickeil Alexander-Walker was the second Canadian off the board at pick 17 which was made by the Brooklyn Nets, but will ultimately end up with the New Orleans Pelicans according to reports.

B.C. native Brandon Clarke was next selected at pick 21 which was made by Oklahoma City, but Clarke's draft rights will end up with the Memphis Grizzles joining fellow Canadian Dillion Brooks.

Finally, Burlington Ontario's Mfiondu Kabengele was selected 27th overall by the Brooklyn Nets and is reportedly headed to the Los Angeles Clippers joining Hamilton Ontario's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

The previous record for Canadians in the first round was set in 2014 when Andrew Wiggins (1st overall), Nik Stauskas (8th overall) and Tyler Ennis (18th overall) all heard their names called by Commissioner Adam Silver.

In the second round, Oakville's Ignas Brazdeikis was selected by the Sacramento Kings, but will eventually join fellow Canuck Barrett in New York to play with the Knicks. Ottawa's Marial Shayok became the first player selected in the draft from the nation's capital selected 54th overall by the Philadelphia 76ers. 

With that pick, Canada breaks the record number of non-US born players selected in one draft with six players drafted. France set the previous record of five at the 2016 NBA draft.

Canada started the 2018-19 season with 13 players (two two-way players) on NBA rosters. That number will certainly increase ahead of the 2019-2020 campaign.