Two Canadians were selected in the first round of the 2021 NBA Draft according to the Canadian Press on Thursday. Joshua Primo of Toronto, Ontario was selected 12th overall by the San Antonio Spurs, and Chris Duarte of Montreal, Quebec was selected 13th overall by the Indiana Pacers.
Primo, a shooting guard, played his university basketball with the University of Alabama Crimson Tide. The 18-year-old only played one season at Alabama where he averaged 8.1 points per game, 3.4 rebounds per game, a field goal percentage of .431, a three-point percentage of .381, and a free-throw percentage of .750. Primo played 30 games, and started 19 games, but missed three games with a sprained left medial collateral ligament sprain.
Duarte, also a shooting guard, played the last two seasons with the University of Oregon. While with the Ducks, the 24-year-old averaged 17.1 points per game, 4.6 rebounds per game, 2.67 assists per game, 1.9 steals per game, a field goal percentage of .532, a three-point percentage of .424, and a free-throw percentage of .810. Prior to his two seasons at Oregon, Duarte played two seasons at Northwest Florida State, a junior college based in Niceville, Florida. While playing for the Northwest Florida State Raiders in 2018-19, Duarte was the National Association of Basketball Coaches Junior College Player of the Year after averaging 19 points per game.
