5 best Canadian basketball players ever

4. Jamaal Magloire

Some of you may be too young to know who Jamaal Magloire is, but this Toronto native was a beast in his prime. He was a big 6-foot-11, 260-pound center who was not afraid to bang in the post. But this isn’t why Magloire made it to the list.

What makes Magloire a notable Canadian player is that he is the second-ever Canadian to be selected to play in an NBA All-Star game. In 2003-04, a year after the (original) Charlotte Hornets relocated to New Orleans, Magloire was selected to be a reserve big man for the Eastern Conference All-Stars. In the game, which was hosted by the Los Angeles Lakers at the Staples Center, Magloire managed to get decent playing time with 21 minutes and he played his heart out. While on the hardwood, he put up a great performance by scoring 19 points, grabbing eight rebounds, and getting one steal and one block.

Even though the Eastern Conference team fought hard, they were not able to get the win. The final score was 136-132 for the Western Conference All-Stars.

That season was Magloire’s best stats-wise. He ended the 2003-04 campaign averaging a double-double, with 13.6 points and 10.3 rebounds. He also averaged 1.2 blocks a game and was fifth overall in total offensive rebounds with 268.

Magloire played a total of 12 seasons in the NBA before calling it quits. He played for the Hornets, Milwaukee Bucks, Portland Trail Blazers, New Jersey Nets, Dallas Mavericks, Miami Heat and Toronto Raptors. In 2012, after playing one season with the Raptors, Magloire decided to hang up his sneakers and retire. The team then hired him to be a consultant and team ambassador. In 2013, he joined the Raptors coaching staff as an assistant coach and still holds that position today.