'Dream come true': Ottawa's Marial Shayok drafted by Philadelphia 76ers

A guard from St. Patrick's High School has latched onto one of the best teams in the NBA.

Ottawa's Marial Shayok was selected in the second round, 54th overall, by the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday.

"It was a dream come true. It's something, obviously, I've been dreaming about since I was a kid," said Shayok as he was about to board a plane to head to the United States to start his new career, less than 12 hours after getting the news of his draft.

"A lot of kids dream and few make it a reality."

Basketball is in Shayok's blood. His brother, sister and father all play the sport and he grew up playing with the neighbourhood kids in the Walkley and Russell roads area of Ottawa.

He also credited Matthew Koeslag, his former coach at St. Patrick's, and his high school teammates for helping him get to where he is.

His older brother, Shayok Shayok, said it was an emotional moment for his brother, their whole family and his brother's friends, who gathered at an Airbnb in Ottawa to watch the draft.

"You could see he just let it all go. He broke down, he was so happy. It was really just amazing to see," Shayok Shayok told CBC Radio's Ottawa Morning on Friday, as his brother slept.

"It was quite an energy when his name was called. A lot of emotions in the room."

Ottawa's Marial Shayok drafted to NBA

5 years ago

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Shayok, a former player at St. Patrick's High School, spoke to CBC News the morning after being selected by the Philadelphia 76ers.

Marial Shayok, 23, transferred from St. Patrick's to a New Jersey prep school before moving on to the University of Virginia in the NCAA, then to Iowa State, where he got on the radar of several NBA teams.

Shayok said he hopes his draft opens the door for more players from Ottawa.

"Dream big and strive to reach your goals and your dreams and don't let anyone tell you that you're not good enough or let any limitation hold you back," he advised.

The 76ers were on the other end of Kawhi Leonard's instant legend quadruple-bounce buzzer-beater in the second round of the playoffs this year, falling to the eventual champions the Toronto Raptors.

Their guard rotation is somewhat up in the air this summer, with former rookie of the year Ben Simmons locked in as starting point guard — but with JJ Redick and T.J. McConnell poised to enter free agency, Jimmy Butler having the option to do the same and Jonathan Simmons traded at the draft.

'Very pleased,' 76ers GM says

Philadelphia picked up another experienced guard in the first round in 22-year-old Matisse Thybulle from Washington, the reigning college basketball defensive player of the year.

"I'm very pleased with the draft," said general manager Elton Brand in a post on the 76ers website.

"We got two players who really fit our culture, really can grow into this, and be part of us as we make this push."

Olivier Hanlan of Gatineau, Que., was picked by the Utah Jazz in the second round of the 2015 draft, but has so far suited up in the NBA's G League, one level below the NBA, and in Europe, where he currently plays in Bonn, Germany.

Shayok, who said before the draft his strengths are his shooting and defensive versatility, is vying to become the first NBA player from Ottawa.

• Meet the NCAA sharpshooter aiming to be Ottawa's 1st NBA player

He was already part of history as one of a record six Canadians drafted on Thursday — in fact, Shayok was the record-setting pick.

If Shayok doesn't stick with the 76ers out of training camp this fall, another likely destination is their minor league affiliate in Delaware.

His next step is likely the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas July 5 to 15.