Good Morning, Illini Nation: Top Canadians in college basketball

Jun. 26—Will Riley was considered the top prospect out of Canada when he committed, and then signed, with Illinois. A five-star wing projected as a first-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. So it stands to reason Riley will also be one of the top Canadians in college basketball during the 2024-25 season. Here’s five more now that Zach Edey is moving on (with an honorable mention to 7-foot-9 Florida freshman Olivier Rioux because he’s 7-9):

Ryan Nembhard, Gonzaga

Nembhard ranked seventh nationally in assists per game last season for the Bulldogs, who finished the year 27-8 and reached the Sweet 16. The 6-foot guard put up 12.6 points, 6.9 assists and four rebounds per game — improvements across the board from his prior season Creighton. The only notable statistical drop for the Aurora, Ontario, native was his three-point shooting falling to 32 percent.

Kobe Elvis, Oklahoma

Norman, Okla., is the last stop of Elvis’ college basketball journey after starting his career at DePaul and spending the past three seasons at Dayton. The 6-1 guard out of Brampton, Ontario, was mostly a starter for the Flyers and averaged nine points, three assists and 2.2 rebounds in his three years playing in the Atlantic-10. He could have a more prominent role with the Sooners.

Aden Holloway, Alabama

Holloway was born in Charlotte, N.C., and went to high school in North Carolina, Indiana and California. But the 6-1 guard has dual citizenship thanks to his mom. So … Canadian. Kind of. Holloway, a former five-star prospect, averaged 7.3 points and 2.7 assists last season at Auburn last season as a freshman before switching sides in the rivalry this offseason.

Keeshawn Barthelemy, Oregon

A late January ankle injury cost Barthelemy the second half of the 2023-24 season, but, healthy again, he opted to use his bonus season of eligibility to return the Ducks this coming season. The Montreal native was at his best as a sophomore at Colorado averaging 11.1 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists. Production Oregon wouldn’t mind if it came with the career high 38.5 percent three-point shooting the 6-2 guard boasted before his injury last season.

Elijah Fisher, Pacific

Fisher was ranked as a five-star recruit by ESPN (and a four-star by everybody else) coming out of Crestwood Prep in Toronto. A move that included reclassification into the Class of 2022. Fisher’s college career has … not yet lived up to that billing. Pacific will be the 6-6 guard’s third team in three years after previous stops at Texas Tech and DePaul. Two programs that also changed coaches on Fisher, who played sparingly for the Red Raiders but did average 10.2 points and 3.8 rebounds for the Blue Demons last season.