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Olivier-Maxence Prosper: A Canadian Basketball Phenom Takes the NBA by Storm

admin — Wed, 05 Jul 2023 22:26:46 +0000

In a narrative that exemplifies the power of perseverance and hard effort, Olivier-Maxence Prosper, a Montreal local, accomplished a lifetime dream when he was taken 24th overall in the NBA draft by the Sacramento Kings, only to be traded to the Dallas Mavericks shortly after. The 20-year-old forward, who stands 6 feet 8 inches tall and weighs 230 pounds, has embarked on a remarkable journey driven by his love of basketball and unshakeable devotion to perfection. Prosper was born into a basketball family, with both his mother, Guylaine, and father, Gaetan, being college basketball all-stars, and his sister, Cassandre, on her way to the WNBA. Let’s take a look at his incredible journey to the NBA and his bright future.

Ascending Draft Boards and the NBA Academy:

Prosper’s rise through the draft ranks was a testament to his outstanding talent and unwavering work ethic. The six-foot-seven wing from Rosemere, Quebec, a Montreal suburb, drew the attention of scouts and analysts with his extraordinary abilities and versatility. His outstanding performance during his senior year of high school at the NBA Academy in Mexico City cemented his status as a rising prospect. Notably, Prosper had this experience with fellow Montrealer Bennedict Mathurin, who was drafted sixth overall by the Indiana Pacers after winning NBA all-rookie honours before enrolling at Clemson University in 2020. Prosper’s basketball career was launched by the NBA Academy, which provided him with crucial training and exposure to elite competition.

Dominance at Marquette University

Prosper’s academic career took him to Marquette University, where he sharpened his skills and established himself as a force to be reckoned with. He shown his versatility and defensive brilliance when playing for the Marquette Golden Eagles, a top-tier American college basketball club, often assuming the burden of guarding the opponent’s best scorer, regardless of position. Prosper emerged as one of the top defenders in college basketball during his two seasons at Marquette, because of his discipline, basketball IQ, and devotion to shutting down opponents. Offensively, Prosper, on the other hand, genuinely matured in his last season, making great strides on the offensive end of the floor. Prosper demonstrated his ability to impact the game on numerous fronts by averaging 12.5 points and 4.7 rebounds per game while shooting 51% from the field, 34% from beyond the arc, and 71% from the free-throw line.

NBA Draft: A Dream Realized

Prosper’s dedication and outstanding performance were not overlooked. As the NBA draft approached, anticipation grew, and Prosper’s name became a hot subject among basketball fans. His admission to the green room, a restricted location reserved for predicted first-round picks, demonstrated teams’ faith in his ability. Finally, on draft night, Prosper got the moment he’d been waiting for his entire life. He was selected with the 24th overall pick and initially assigned to the Sacramento Kings, but was quickly moved to the Dallas Mavericks. Prosper became the first Canadian player to be selected in the draft that year, cementing his position in basketball history and paving the way for an amazing professional career.

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Fred VanVleet new scholarship for Black or Indigenous student at the U of T

admin — Sun, 30 Jan 2022 17:07:46 +0000

Fred VanVleet of the Toronto Raptors has announced a scholarship for a Black or Indigenous student at the University of Toronto. Fred VanVleet of the Toronto Raptors continues to make a positive impact in the community.

VanVleet and Rotman Commerce announced the creation of the “Fred VanVleet Scholarship,” which will provide four years of tuition and books to a Black, or Indigenous student pursuing an undergraduate degree at the University of Toronto.

VanVleet is also “committed to mentoring the selected recipient.”

“This scholarship is important because it’s going to shine light on some of those who may be underserved, or underprivileged in certain communities and aspects”, VanVleet said.

“We know there’s a selection process to a lot of different scholarships and sometimes that counts people out”.

We’re just trying to make a concerted effort to shine a light on those who may have not gotten a proper opportunity”.

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Get To know Canadian Basketball Player & New York Knick R.J. Barrett

admin — Sun, 30 Jan 2022 05:47:44 +0000

Rowan Alexander “RJ” Barrett Jr. (born June 14, 2000), is a Canadian professional basketball player for the National Basketball Association’s, New York Knicks. RJ, the son of former NBA player Rowan Barrett, was born in Toronto and attended St.Marcellinus Secondary School in Mississauga, Ontario, before transferring to Montverde Academy in Montverde, Florida.

He was a five-star recruit and the consensus top recruit in the 2018 class, earning Naismith Prep Player of the Year and Gatorade National Player of the Year honours, in his final high school season while playing mostly as a shooting guard.

All recruiting services ranked him as the best player in his class, and he became the first player since LeBron James, to win all major high school awards and the national championship.

Barrett was named MVP of the 2017 FIBA Under-19 Basketball World Cup, with the Canadian national under-19 team, after leading his team to a gold medal.

Barrett was selected third overall in the 2019 NBA Draft, by the New York Knicks on June 20, 2019.

On November 1st, he put up 27 points and 6 rebounds in a 113–104 loss to his hometown Toronto Raptors.

Barrett is the godson of Steve Nash, a Basketball Hall of Fame inductee who played on the Canadian national team with his father.

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Get to know Canadian Soccer player Alphonso Davies

admin — Sun, 30 Jan 2022 05:34:26 +0000

Alphonso Boyle Davies (born November 2, 2000) is a Canadian professional soccer player who currently plays for Bundesliga club Bayern Munich, as well as the Canadian national team. Davies was the first player born in the millennium to appear in a Major League Soccer match.

Davies joined Bayern from MLS side Vancouver Whitecaps FC in January 2019 on a contract extension until 2023, for a then-MLS record transfer fee.

In June 2017, he became the Canadian men’s national team’s youngest player.

He became the youngest player to score for the Canadian men’s national team, the youngest to score at the CONCACAF Gold Cup, and the first player born in the 2000s to score at a top level international tournament when he scored two goals against French Guiana in a 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup match. Davies is the first soccer player, and the first Canadian, to be appointed as an ambassador for the United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR. Davies was born in Buduburam, a refugee camp in Ghana, to Liberian parents. His father, Debeah Davies, and mother, Victoria Davies, grew up in Monrovia, Liberia’s capital. During the Second Liberian Civil War, which displaced over 450,000 Liberians, they fled.

Alphonso’s family immigrated to Canada when he was five years old, eventually settling in Edmonton.

He received Canadian citizenship on June 6, 2017; prior to that, he was a Liberian national.

Alphonso was the fourth youngest of six brothers and sisters.

Davies went to St Nicholas Catholic Junior High, which is part of the Edmonton Catholic School District.

Davies began playing organized soccer as a child in Edmonton with Free Footie, an after-school soccer league for inner-city elementary school students who cannot afford registration fees and equipment, or who lack transportation to games. Davies joined the Whitecaps FC Residency in 2015 at the age of 14 after playing for Edmonton Internationals and Edmonton Strikers. Davies signed with Whitecaps FC 2 in the USL on February 23, 2016 after joining Vancouver Whitecaps FC during their 2016 MLS preseason tour.

Davies signed a first-team contract with the Whitecaps on July 15, 2016, with options for the 2019 and 2020 seasons. Following his impressive early MLS appearances, Davies drew interest and was scouted by European clubs such as Manchester United, Chelsea, and Liverpool, and he was named one of the world’s 60 best young soccer talents in 2017.

Davies was transferred to Bundesliga club Bayern Munich on July 25, 2018, with Davies finishing the 2018 MLS season with Vancouver before joining Bayern in January 2019.

Bayern Munich and Davies agreed to a contract extension until 2025 in April 2020, adding two years to his existing contract. Davies stated in an interview in March 2017 that “to be able to represent Canada is one of my dreams”.

Davies, who was born as a Liberian refugee, was initially only eligible for the Liberian national team.

Davies passed his Canadian citizenship test on June 6, 2017, and thus became a Canadian citizen, making him eligible to play for the Canadian national team. Davies scored a highlight reel goal on October 13, 2021, in a World Cup qualifying match against Panama, making an 80-yard run to keep the ball in play and reaching a top speed of 37.1 km/h.

Since September 2017, he has been dating Canadian forward Jordyn Huitema of Paris Saint-Germain Women and the Canada women’s national soccer team.

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Get To know Canadian Basketballer Cassandre Prosper

admin — Sun, 30 Jan 2022 04:36:17 +0000

Cassandre has recently received a lot of attention, and the 16 year old, 6-foot-2 Canadian (from Laval, Quebec), has wasted no time in showcasing her abilities.

Currently ranked #15 in ESPN’s Girls basketball ranking, (class of 2023), she is a smooth athlete, whose length and coordination are noticeable, even during warmup drills.

She is a fantastic jumper and leaper. Finding ways to get to the ball on rebounds or slip through defence gaps to the rim. ESPN scouts have graded her a 96, and given her a 5 star rating.

With her slashing style of play, she is currently more of a forward than a wing, and she prefers to put the ball on the floor to attack the paint offensively, rather than catch and shoot.

In the 2021 International Basketball Federation Americas U16 final, against the USA on August 30th, she held her own, scoring 13 points and pulling down five rebounds.

She also managed to put up the exact same score of 24 points and 9 rebounds in back to back wins. Averaging 18.6 points, 10.6 rebounds and 3 assist for the Championship, while being named to the All Tournament Team.

Prosper has a lot of potential and has received scholarship offers from all of the major women’s college basketball conferences.

Prosper doesn’t hesitate to aim high when it comes to her basketball future. “I want to play in NCAA Division 1, definitely do the WNBA, play in Europe and represent Canada at the Olympics,”

She describes herself as a highly competitive leader who enjoys working in a team. “I like to win and I am very versatile”

“I can play hard on offense and defense, my ultimate goal is for the team to win and I will do everything I can to make that happen.”

Cassandre Prosper’s life has always revolved around basketball. Her parents, Gaétan Prosper and Guylaine Blanchette, were all-star players at Concordia University, and her younger brother, Olivier-Maxence, recently joined the Clemson University Tigers.

“They are my role models and they have always shown me where to go,” said Prosper

Prosper currently plays with Capital Courts Academy‎ in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

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Documentary on Canadians Chase Claypool, Chuba Hubbard & Jevon Holland highlights journey to NFL

admin — Sun, 30 Jan 2022 04:22:50 +0000

The hour-long feature, which focuses on Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Chase Claypool of Abbotsford, British Columbia, Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard of Sherwood Park, Alberta., and Miami Dolphins safety Jevon Holland of Coquitlam, British Columbia, charts their humble beginnings and provides an intimate look into their personal and professional journeys to the NFL.

TSN Senior Features Producer and six-time Canadian Screen Award winner Josh Shiaman and TSN Feature Producer Matthew Dorman will direct the documentary, which will air on TSN on Friday, October 8, 2021, at 7 p.m. Eastern

“Our hope in sharing their stories is to inspire athletes from across the country that achieving their dreams is possible, regardless of where they’re from…” Vinay Virmani, Chief Content Officer at UNINTERUPTED Canada

NORTHERN TIES showcases their triumphs and challenges, while providing viewers with the opportunity to understand their lives both on and off the field, as told from the players’ first-person perspectives and featuring their shared interactions with one another.

“We continue to look for new ways to showcase the personal stories of players and are excited to collaborate with UNINTERRUPTED Canada…” “We are proud to see more Canadians making an impact in the NFL in skilled positions and are excited to spotlight this new era of Canadian talent…” David Thomson, Managing Director of NFL Canada

Many consider Claypool to be a future superstar, and he recounts his childhood in Abbotsford, British Columbia, as well as his love of football and family.

Hubbard’s journey from Alberta to Carolina follows his recent NFL Draft selection by the Panthers, his injury rehabilitation, and the personal challenges he faced growing up on the outskirts of Edmonton.

Holland, the son of a former CFL player, takes viewers back to his childhood on the west coast and reflects on his selection by the Miami Dolphins as he works to establish himself as an impact player on the game’s biggest stage.

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Get to know Canadian Basketball Player & San Antonio Spurs NBA Draft pick Joshua Primo

admin — Sun, 30 Jan 2022 02:05:15 +0000

Joshua Primo of Toronto was the first of two Canadians to be selected in the first round of the NBA draft in 2021. Primo turned 18 on December 24, 2020, making him the NCAA’s top division’s youngest player. Primo spent one season in high school in West Virginia before returning home to finish his prep career at Royal Crown Academic School. Primo spent one season in high school in West Virginia before returning home to finish his prep career at Royal Crown Academic School. Primo missed three games due to a sprained left medial collateral ligament. He declared for the Draft lottery on April 21, 2021, while still retaining his college eligibility. Primo, however, announced on June 30 that he would remain in the draft due to a strong performance at the NBA combine.

The six-foot-six, 190-pound Primo was a 2020-21 SEC All-Freshman Team selection for the Crimson Tide, averaging 8.1 points and 3.4 rebounds while shooting 43.1 percent from the field. As a 16-year-old, he represented Canada at the 2019 FIBA Under-19 Basketball World Cup. Primo played basketball for Huntington Prep School in Huntington, West Virginia, alongside JT Thor. He transferred to Scarborough’s Royal Crown Academic School. Primo reclassified to the 2020 class and graduated ahead of schedule. He committed to play college basketball for Alabama after being rated a five-star recruit by 247Sports. He chose the Crimson Tide over Creighton. Primo burst onto the scene this offseason with a string of impressive workouts at the NBA Draft Combine, quickly progressing from a relatively unknown prospect to a sure-fire first-round pick to a lottery pick by the storied Spurs organization. In an interview with Gilbert McGregor, San Antonio Spurs rookie Joshua Primo, a Toronto, Ontario native, stated that making Team Canada is a goal he is working toward ahead of the 2024 Olympics in Paris. Keshia, Primo’s older sister, attended the University of Buffalo, Coffeyville Community College, and Southern Connecticut State University.

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New series ‘Black Life: A Canadian History’ will be produced by NHL Superstar P.K. Subban

admin — Sun, 30 Jan 2022 01:28:15 +0000

With the new docuseries, Black Life: A Canadian History, homegrown hockey great P.K. Subban intends to educate people and stimulate dialogue. The defenceman, who grew up in Toronto, is an executive producer on the newly announced eight-part project, which will premiere in 2023 on CBC TV and CBC Gem. Former Governor General Michaelle Jean and rapper-broadcaster Shad, who serve as cultural consultants, were hired by showrunner Leslie Norville of Studio 112 and Miranda de Pencier of Northwood Entertainment. Each one-hour episode will be directed by a different Black Canadian director and will span 400 years of the African-American experience in Canada. Subban is unsure whether he will appear on camera for the project, but believes his story is inextricably linked to it. The most important thing, he says, is that viewers learn about Canada’s entire history through the series.

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Tennis Canada’s Male Player of the Year is Felix Auger-Aliassime.

admin — Sat, 25 Dec 2021 16:27:56 +0000

Felix Auger-Aliassime of Montreal won three awards from Tennis Canada on Wednesday, including men’s player of the year, singles player of the year, and most improved player.

For the first time, Auger-Aliassime, who is 21 years old, was named Tennis Canada Player of the Year and Singles Player of the Year.

He has won the Most Improved Player award for the second time.

The Quebecer, who began the season ranked 21st in the world, finished 11th at the end of the year.

Auger-Aliassime also advanced to the quarterfinals of the Wimbledon Open after reaching the semifinals of the US Open. He also advanced to the finals of two tournaments, the Stuttgart and Melbourne 2 tournaments.

Auger-Aliassime finished the season with a 38-24 record, defeating top ten players such as Alexander Zverev and Roger Federer, who were ranked sixth and eighth, respectively.

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Quinton Byfield makes history as highest-drafted Black player at key time in NHL

admin — Mon, 18 Jan 2021 21:53:31 +0000

Article Provided By : CBC News
Source : https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl/nhl-quinton-byfield-black-history-1.5754529
Date: 2020-07-10

Dressed to the nines in his living room, Quinton Byfield didn’t have to wait long in Tuesday’s NHL draft to make history.

Byfield became the highest-drafted Black player ever when he was selected second overall by the Los Angeles Kings.

The 18-year-old Sudbury Wolves product says he aspires to become a reliable forward for the Kings, while also adding some of the spice that he showed off with his draft suit.

“Just seeing the suit I was wearing, white jacket, kind of out there but just bringing some personality in the league, would definitely be something cool,” Byfield told CBC News Network.

More importantly, he aspires to be a role model for young Black players trying to break their way into hockey.

“I want a lot of people to have the experience growing up that I did … you just come to the rink, play the game and race wasn’t even a factor in that,” Byfield said.

“I think that’s why it’s really good to spread positivity about that and be motivation for other young kids.”

Those players for Byfield were the likes of Sharks forward Evander Kane and Blue Jackets defenceman Seth Jones, who were the previous highest picked Black players having both gone fourth in their respective 2009 and 2013 drafts.

Byfield added that he believes the NHL is doing a good job in its efforts to spread awareness of the racism and social injustice that permeates throughout society.

“I think just growing up, I had some guys to look up to, and hopefully as the game is growing there can just be more and more and all the support is crazy for me right now,” he said. “I just want to be able to give back and spread awareness about the situation.”

While the NHL has appeared to make strides in this area in its return to play, some players don’t believe enough has been done.

The Hockey Diversity Alliance was formed by seven current and former NHLers in June with a clear-cut mission “to eradicate racism and intolerance in hockey.”

The group is co-headed by Akim Aliu and Kane, and has also grown to include Trevor Daley, Anthony Duclair, Matt Dumba, Nazem Kadri, Wayne Simmonds, Chris Stewart and Joel Ward.

On Wednesday, the HDA appeared to cut ties with the league, citing its “performative public relations efforts.”

“We have waited many months for a response to the common sense HDA pledge we proposed and it is clear that the NHL is not prepared to make any measurable commitments to end systemic racism in hockey,” the group said in a statement.

In July, the HDA asked the NHL to commit to its pledge for more inclusive employment practices and to support social justice initiatives that target racism, among other asks.

Instead, the NHL’s return from its pandemic-induced pause featured video boards with slogans such as “end racism” and so-called “moments of reflection” in the first games after player walkouts in wake of the shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wis.

The NHL also announced a number of anti-racism initiatives in early September including mandatory inclusion and diversity training for players, and an “inclusion learning experience” for employees.

The league and the Players’ Association said it would work with the Hockey Diversity Alliance to establish a grassroots hockey development program in the Toronto area for BIPOC communities.

Among the other initiatives announced, the league said it had begun conversations on building a more diverse business pipeline and looking for ways to engage with ethnically diverse organizations.

Still, the importance of the draft moment was not overlooked by Byfield and his parents Clinton and Nicole.

“It’s always great to be a part of history. For someone as our son and for the community that we’re in, it’s exciting. It’s very good. And knowing all the younger kids are looking up to Quinton, it’s just amazing. So we’re very happy and very excited to be a part of that as a family,” Clinton said.

Quinton Byfield says he wants more young players to have the same hockey experiences he had. It remains to be seen how much the NHL is willing to help.

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