Trivia time: Where was the first NBA game ever played? Smart guessers would have gone with with storied franchises like the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks, who have been in the league since it’s birth in 1946. However the truth is, the first NBA game was played in Toronto Ontario. That’s right, Canada. The Toronto Huskies played only one season in the NBA, and left the league with a record of 22-38. That didn’t seem to sit well with Canucks, so in 1995, the NBA re-introduced Toronto into the the league, this time with a friend from the west coast.
Athletic studs like Damon Stoudamire, Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady, Chris Bosh and the young DeMar DeRozan gracing the Toronto Raptors, the Vancouver Grizzlies had a tougher time filling the seats. Even though the Griz had Shareef Abdur-Raheem during the early years, the team slowly fell off, and was bought and moved to Memphis.
So all of Canada is now stuck behind the Toronto Raptors, a team which had no connection to the fans, other than location. Canada always gets a few NBA Pre-season games throughout the country in an effort to satisfy the appetites of the hoop-fans, and finally, enough was enough.
Announced in May, the National Basketball League of Canada will address not only the country’s appetite for Basketball, but will also give a court for all the talented Canadian players to play on.
Yes, we all know Canadian super-star Steve Nash, and Joel Anthony is making a name for himself as a defensive stopper on the Heat, but what about the guys you don’t know?
The young guys that are surely entering the league like Corey Joseph, or Tristan Thomas of Texas. Both excelled in the NCAA tournament, and along with Lousianna Tech’s Olu Ashaolu all are Canadians entering the 2011 NBA draft.
Additionally, three Canadians were invited and played in the 2010 McDonalds All-American Game. Myck Kabongo, Khem Birch and Kyle Wiltjer provide an eye-opening argument that Canadian basketball is on the rise.
Soon, Canadian ballers will get the opportunity to play on home soil, instead of going overseas, or playing in the states. Three teams have already signed up with the NBL of Canada. The Halifax Rainmen, the Quebec Kebs and the Saint Johns Mill Rats. These three teams represent the markets ready for more basketball. However, other teams are interested in joining and its just a matter of time before the league compliments the NBA like the Canadian Football League does for the National Football League.
And when NBA teams need to look for their next role player, prospect, or star, looking to Canada can be a better option that looking overseas. Several of the obstacles that slow down other international players wouldn’t have the same effect on players from Canada. The language, weather, and style of living is very much the same. Families are just a short flight away. And while the level of competition of these Canadian prospects is lower that those in Europe, the ability to quickly adapt to the NBA life-style would be a huge advantage. With the next NBA season in jeopardy due to a lock-out. A few NBA players have stated they wouldn’t mind playing in Europe. Now, with the NBL of Canada, they might not have to go so far. Furthermore, with the NBA lockout in effect, Canadians will be exposed to the new league, and with a bit of luck, the league will take off.