'He's in our hearts': Family and friends still seek answers one year after Nathan Wise’s disappearance
It’s been a year since Nathan Wise went missing and his family is no closer to finding out what happened to him.
Canadians Bennedict Mathurin and Shaedon Sharpe took very different paths to the NBA, but their pro dreams were realized just minutes apart on Thursday.
Mathurin, a 20-year-old from Montreal who starred at the University of Arizona, was selected sixth by the Indiana Pacers. Moments later the Blazers took a chance on Sharpe, a 19-year-old from London, Ont., who didn't play a single college game, with the seventh pick.
"I feel like I'm a winner," said Mathurin. "I'm a really competitive guy. Off the court, I feel I'm a pretty funny guy. I like doing a lot of fun stuff."
It's only the second time in history that two Canadians have gone in the top 10 in the NBA draft. In 2014, Andrew Wiggins was taken first overall by Cleveland, and Sacramento took Nik Stauskas with the No. 8 pick.
Two more Canadians went back to back in the second round. Gonzaga guard Andrew Nembhard joined Mathurin at Indiana, selected by the Pacers at No. 31, while Caleb Houstan was selected at No. 32 by Orlando.
The Pacers now have three Canadians, along with Toronto native Oshae Brissett.
"Canadian Pacers," Brissett tweeted.
Canada has had 37 players chosen since the draft went to two rounds in 1989, the second most of any country behind the U.S.
"What a night, for four young men who have achieved their dreams by working hard and representing Canada with pride. And Canada is proud of them! See thee rise," tweeted Canada Basketball CEO Mike Bartlett.
Mathurin joins a Pacers team that finished a lowly 25-47 last season.
The six-foot-six guard/forward became the first Canadian to attend the NBA Academy in Mexico City back in 2018. The draft broadcast showed live footage of the current academy players cheering him on.
Mathurin then played two seasons at the University of Arizona, winning the Pac-12 Tournament's most outstanding player honours, and averaging 17.4 points and 5.6 rebounds a game this year.
He scored 30 points in a big game in the second round of March Madness, helping Arizona beat Texas Christian University in overtime.
Broadcasters compared Mathurin's game to the Toronto Raptors' OG Anunoby.
"We have a pretty good team and I'm looking forward to having an impact right away," Mathurin said. "The staff was really good to me when I went there for my team workout. I feel like they believe in me. Having people trust in my game is great."
Mathurin, whose parents are from Haiti -- he speaks English, French, Spanish and Creole -- hugged his mom and sister before walking up to the Barclay Center stage. He drew rave reviews for his burgundy and black floral suit.
Sharpe, a 6-6 wing, was a five-star recruit when he enrolled at Kentucky in January. But he never played for the Wildcats, and while it was expected that would change in 2022-23, he raised eyebrows by declaring for the draft instead. He hasn't played significant five-on-five action since a high school game in October.
"Going from high school to college and not playing your college season and then straight to the NBA, it's quite the journey. But every step of the way I've just fought and had fun with it," Sharpe said.
Sharpe looks forward to playing with all-star guard Damian Lillard.
"He's a great guard himself and he's been in this league for some time now, so I just can't wait to really learn from him," Sharpe said.
Nembhard, who played for Canada's national team at the 2019 World Cup in China, spent four years in the NCAA, transferring from Florida to Gonzaga for his final two years. Gonzaga went undefeated in the 2020-21 regular season before losing to Baylor in the NCAA final. The Bulldogs were eliminated in the third round this year.
The 22-year-old from Aurora, Ont., showed well at the draft combine last month, dominating one five-on-five scrimmage with 26 points and 11 assists.
Houstan, a 19-year-old from Mississauga, Ont., averaged 10.1 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.4 assists with the University of Michigan this season.
Coach Nick Nurse said it was a great night for the Canadians.
"Four in the top 32? And two in the top seven? So really good," said Nurse, head coach of Team Canada and the Toronto Raptors. " (Mathurin) obviously, it's a super high pick, but I thought he played great when I saw him, and obviously he played great for (Canada's under-19 team)."
Nurse added that Nembhard was "spectacular" when he came to Toronto for a workout.
"So another great night, really, for Canada, and basketball in the country," the coach said. "And congratulations to not only all those guys and their families but all the coaches who helped get those guys there."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 23, 2022.
It’s been a year since Nathan Wise went missing and his family is no closer to finding out what happened to him.
Dozens of Ontarians are expressing frustration in the province’s health-care system after their family doctors either dropped them as patients or threatened to after they sought urgent care elsewhere.
An Ottawa pizzeria is being recognized as one of the top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world.
Amazon's paid subscription service provides free delivery for online shopping across Canada except for remote locations, the company said in an email. While customers in Iqaluit qualify for the offer, all other communities in Nunavut are excluded.
The fire burning near Fort McMurray grew from 25 hectares to 5,500 hectares over the weekend.
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin began a Cabinet shakeup on Sunday, proposing the replacement of Sergei Shoigu as defence minister as he begins his fifth term in office.
Police are searching for a male suspect after a man was “slashed in neck” on Sunday morning in downtown Toronto and died.
There were some scary moments for several people on a northern Ontario highway caught on video Thursday after a chain reaction following a truck fire.
Health Canada announced various product recalls this week, including electric adapters, armchairs, cannabis edibles and vehicle components.
English, history, entertainment, math and geography: high school trivia teams could be quizzed on any of it when they compete at the Reach for the Top Nationals in Ottawa in June.
An Ottawa pizzeria is being recognized as one of the top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world.
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
A Listowel, Ont. man, drafted by the Hamilton Tigercats last week, is also getting looks from the NFL, despite only playing 27 games of football in his life.
The threat of zebra mussels has prompted the federal government to temporarily ban watercraft from a Manitoba lake popular with tourists.
A small Ajax dessert shop that recently received a glowing review from celebrity food critic Keith Lee is being forced to move after a zoning complaint was made following the social media influencer’s visit last month.
The Canada Science and Technology Museum is inviting visitors to explore their poop. A new exhibition opens at the Ottawa museum on Friday called, 'Oh Crap! Rethinking human waste.'
The Regina Police Service says it is the first in Saskatchewan and possibly Canada to implement new technology in its detention facility that will offer real-time monitoring of detainees’ vital health metrics.
Just as she had feared, a restaurant owner from eastern Quebec who visited Montreal had her SUV stolen, but says it was all thanks to the kindness of strangers on the internet — not the police — that she got it back.