Basketball in Ontario: The OSBA has created a new path to the NBA
By Chris Mckee
The province of Ontario has become a hotbed for future NBA talent. The Ontario Scholastic Basketball Association (OSBA) has helped increase the level of competition throughout the province and has become a gateway to the NCAA and NBA for the best players on Ontario. Here is the list of the next crop of OSBA players headed to the NCAA.
Another NBA Draft has come and gone and yet again another Ontario resident was drafted. This year it was Dillon Brooks from Mississauga, ON, who was taken in the second round with the 45th pick by the Houston Rocket and was then immediately traded to Memphis.
The junior out of Oregon was the Pac-12 Player of the Year and led his Ducks to the Final Four. His teammate at Oregon, and Toronto native, Dylan Ennis, was signed by Oklahoma City to play for their summer league team.
Last year we saw Jamal Murray from Kitchener, ON, as well as Thon Maker, who played at Orangeville Prep, taken in the top 10 picks, while the 2014 draft saw four Ontario natives drafted; Andrew Wiggins, Nik Stauskas, Tyler Ennis and Dwight Powell.
Anthony Bennett and Kelly Olynyk were 2013 first round picks born in Ontario.
There is an abundance of players coming out of the province with the majority of talent coming out of the OSBA (Ontario Scholastic Basketball Association). According to their website:
"“The vision of OSBA is to identify, develop, and support targeted Ontario basketball teams and in turn athletes, to achieve the goals of developing Ontario athletes for post-secondary, national and international competition. In addition, this elite league will help increase the number and quality of Ontario athletes competing in the province at the Train to compete stage of the Long-Term Athlete Development model.Ultimately, the goal of the league is to provide elite level competition and exposure to premier high school basketball programs and in turn it should raise the entire basketball environment in Ontario and Canada.”"
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In just a few short years, the province of Ontario has pumped out NBA draft picks and sent dozens of young men and women to scholarships at the top universities in the NCAA and USports with the OSBA being the main funnel. Current OSBA alums are playing basketball at Notre Dame, Maryland, Rutgers, Providence and more.
Some Ontario born players still choose to take the route of playing their high school or academy basketball in the U.S. That is the case for Toronto born RJ Barrett, who plays for Montverde in Florida. Barrett is the No. 1 ranked player in the Class of 2019 by every major recruiting service including ESPN, Rivals and 24/7 Sports.
However, many Ontario born players are opting to stay at home because they can still achieve their goal of an NCAA scholarship and possible NBA career because of the level of competition in the OSBA.
Here is list of players from the OSBA who have received scholarships to play NCAA Division One basketball for the 2017-18 season and a few who could be potential future NBA draft picks.
Men’s Players:
PLAYER |
|---|
OSBA TEAM
YEAR
POST SECONDARY
Oshae BrissettAthlete Institute Prep2016-2017Syracuse UniversityHoward Washington Jr.Athlete Institute Prep2016-2017Syracuse UniversityJahvon BlairAthlete Institute Prep2015-2017Georgetown UniversityJordan LyonsAthlete Institute Prep2015-2017Southern Utah UniversityStefan SmithBill Crothers SS2015-2017University of VermontAaryn RaiOrangeville Prep2015-2017Dartmouth CollegeJames KarnikOrangeville Prep2016-2017Lehigh UniversityScott HitchonThornlea SS2016-2017Canisius CollegeEliel NsosemeTRC Academy2016-2017University of Cincinnati
Next: RJ Barrett to lead Team Canada at U19 World Championships
Women’s Players:
PLAYER |
|---|
OSBA TEAM
YEAR
POST SECONDARY
Emma McCamusBill Crothers Prep2016-2017Central Connecticut State UniversityShaina PellingtonDurham Elite2016-2017University of OklahomaKeishana WashingtonDurham Elite2016-2017Drexel UniversityDaija MosesDurham Elite2016-2017Rider UniversityJulia ChadwickDurham Elite2016-2017Robert Morris UniversityTiarra DavisDurham Elite2016-2017Robert Morris UniversityChristina MorraKing’s Christian2016-2017Wake Forest UniversityHanna HallLincoln Prep2016-2017University at BuffaloAiden RainfordLincoln Prep2016-2017Siena CollegeHailey BrownTRC Academy2016-2017University of MichiganTaya HansonTRC Academy2016-2017San Diego State University