A most amazing year is likely to get even better for Jamal Murray at the upcoming NBA Draft, where he is poised to continue what is quickly becoming a Canadian basketball tradition.

The six-foot-five Kentucky Wildcats guard is projected to be a lottery pick at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on June 23, potentially as high as fifth overall according to some expert predictions. Murray would extend the streak of Canadians taken with a lottery picks to a record four consecutive years, and make it an unprecedented seven straight years that at least one Canadian has heard his name called on Draft Day.

How did the kid from Kitchener get here? Murray's magical 12 months began last July, not long after he committed to the University of Kentucky, at the Toronto Pan Am Games. There Murray averaged 16.0 points per game to help Canada win silver and delivered the signature moment of his young career when he scored all 22 of his points in the fourth quarter and overtime of a stunning semi-final triumph over the USA.

At Kentucky, Murray averaged 20.0 points to set the school freshman scoring record, and hit at least one three-pointer in all 36 games, a first in program history. He was named second-team All-American by USA Today and Scout, earned freshman All-America selection from the Sporting News and the U.S. Basketball Writers Association, and appeared on the All-SEC First Team.

Fourteen Canadians have been drafted into the NBA since 2010, including nine in the first round. Andrew Wiggins (1st, Cleveland, 2014), Nik Stauskus (8th, Sacramento, 2014), Anthony Bennett (1st, Cleveland, 2013), Kelly Olynyk (13th, Dallas, 2013) and Tristan Thompson (4th, Cleveland, 2011) were all lottery picks. Utah used the 12th overall pick last June to select Trey Lyles out of Kentucky, and the Saskatoon product went on to play 80 games as a rookie for the Jazz in 2015-16.

"The NBA draft is an incredible opportunity for anyone, but as a Canadian it's especially memorable to be part of a growing history of players going to the league," said Trey Lyles from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan who was selected 12th overall in the 2015 NBA Draft. "It was a once in a lifetime experience to enjoy with my family, coaches and Kentucky teammates. My advice is to appreciate the moment and all of the work you put in to get there."

Catch the 2016 NBA Draft live on TSN starting at 8 p.m. EDT on Thursday, June 23.

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