Canadian invasion: Northern 'Fab Five' making impact on top teams
Here are the top 5 Canadians left fighting in March Madness
March Madness? More like March Blandness.
With every top-three seed advancing to the Sweet 16, just one overtime and no buzzer beaters to speak of, the usual insanity of the college basketball playoffs became disappointingly sane.
That is, unless you're a Canadian hoops fan.
Only five Canadians have ever won a college basketball championship, with the most recent being Kyle Wiltjer in 2012.
There's a pretty good chance a sixth name is added to that list in 2019. Whereas past Canadians like Wiltjer were role players on their teams, 2019's crop are all impact perfomers on Final Four favourites.
Here are five Canadians ready to stamp their names into March Madness lore.
R.J. Barrett, Duke
The crown jewel of the Canadian class saved the Blue Devils on Sunday.
After fellow freshman Zion Willamson missed a game-tying free throw in the dying seconds, Barrett swooped in for the offensive rebound putback. The shot stood as the game-winner as Duke barely advanced to the Sweet 16.
WATCH | Barrett hits game-winner as Blue Devils survive scare:
The son of Canada Basketball GM Rowan Barrett, R.J. came to Duke as the highest-ranked high-school recruit in the U.S. Though he's been overshadowed by Williamson at times, Barrett has still left his imprint on the Blue Devils, even earning USA Today player of the year honours.
Barrett, 18, has drawn comparisons to former Raptor DeMar DeRozan as a wing player who can create his own looks, handle the ball and make plays for others. Barrett's outside shooting is lacking, but his defence should be well ahead of DeRozan.
Barrett will likely land among the top three picks of June's NBA draft. In the tournament, as teams focus more and more on probable No. 1 pick Williamson, Barrett will have opportunity to carry the Blue Devils. Through two games, Barrett's posted 41 points, 22 rebounds and seven assists.
Barrett's next opponent features another Canadian whose family is ingrained in basketball.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Virginia Tech
Alexander-Walker's cousin, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, is a rookie point guard for the L.A. Clippers, drafted 11th overall last season.
The Hokies guard is trying to follow in his footsteps — but first he'll have to go through Barrett.
Virginia Tech won its previous matchup against the Blue Devils, though it came in the first game Williamson missed with a knee sprain.
Alexander-Walker says there's no extra juice that comes from going against a fellow Canadian. Instead, he's just happy that Canadians in general are so successful.
"For us to be on one of the highest levels of college basketball, the competition itself is fun and enjoyable," said Alexander-Walker.
The guard added that having top players on top teams is important in shedding the stereotype of the soft Canadian basketball player.
"You wanna take that label off from Canada and show them that we do have winning basketball players that can play," said Alexander-Walker.
Brandon Clarke, Gonzaga
A transfer from San Jose State, Clarke redshirted last season before bursting onto the scene with the Bulldogs.
In the second round against Baylor, Clarke set a school record with 36 points — the most for a Bulldog ever in a tournament game.
But the six-foot-eight forward from Vancouver rests his laurels on the defensive end. Clarke was nominated as Naismith defensive player of the year after averaging over three blocks per game.
Clarke, 22, started every game this season for the Zags and led the team in rebounding with 8.1 per game. His surprising season vaulted him up NBA draft charts, where he is frequently slotted into the first round due to his defensive acumen.
KenPom, an analytics tool used by many in college basketball, ranks Gonzaga as the second most efficient team in the nation — a testament to Clarke's defence.
"He has a beautiful awkwardness about him," said Zags assistant Tommy Lloyd, who compared Clarke to former NBA star Shawn Marion. "He drives, it's kinda awkward for someone his size, but then he spins really easily, he's got a great second jump, a great floater. He's a special player."
Another breakout Canadian awaits Clarke and the Zags in the Sweet 16.
Mfiondu Kabengele, Florida State
As Kabengele's playing time increased during his sophomore season, his stats rose too.
The Burlington, Ont., native has been especially impressive during the tournament, eclipsing his season average of 13.4 points per game with outputs of 21 and 22 during the Seminoles' first two games.
Kabengele, 21, was the only player from a power-conference program to lead his team in scoring off of the bench. He is not a lock to be drafted in June, though it also wouldn't be shocking for the forward to come off the board in the second round.
The bloodlines also bolster Kabengele's case — his uncle is Dikembe Mutombo.
He inherited his uncle's swagger too. Besides his clutch tournament performances, he also hit a three-pointer to put the Seminoles ahead of LSU (the East region's No. 3) 79-76 with half a second left in OT.
"Coach Gates told me to get to the open corner," Kabengele said. "They trapped Trent [Forrest] and Trent saw me and I just set my feet. When it came off my wrist, it felt good."
Iggy Brazdeikis, Michigan
Brazdeikis, 20, was born in Kaunas, Lithuania, before moving to Winnipeg, then Etobicoke, Ont., and finally settling in Oakville, Ont.
The dual citizen is a freshman forward for the Wolverines who shot 40 per cent from three averaging 14.8 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.
Through two rounds, Brazdeikis has struggled, scoring just 19 points on 6-for-18 (1/7 from three) shooting. Still, second-seeded Michigan cruised through a pair of wins and will take on Texas Tech in the Sweet 16.
Like Kabengele, Brazdeikis would likely max out in the second round of the NBA draft. Another year with the Wolverines and head coach John Beilein could serve him well.
Brazdeikis, however, is already overflowing with brashness, despite entering as the 40th-ranked recruit.
"There's certainly not 39 freshmen better than me," Brazdeikis told Sporting News. "It definitely did motivate me. I knew I was better than that. I needed to have the platform and the opportunity to show the world. I knew in high school a lot of players can hide their weaknesses. And at the college level, you're going to get exposed if you have a lot of weaknesses."
Should Michigan advance to the Elite Eight, it'll play the winner of Clarke's Gonzaga vs. Kabengele's Seminoles.