The NBA draft is settled, and the No. 1 pick is a Canadian

(Image credit: Mike Stobe/Getty Images)

last updated 8 January 2015

The Cleveland Cavaliers drew the first pick in the NBA draft (again), and they used it Thursday night to claim Kansas small forward Andrew Wiggins — the second year in a row the Cavs had top pick and the second consecutive year they used it on a Canadian-born player (last year is was Anthony Bennett). Duke forward Jabari Parker was the No. 2 pick, by the Milwaukee Bucks, and rounding out the Top 3 is Kansas center Joel Embiid, claimed by the Philadelphia 76ers.

Embiid had been expected to be the top draft pick — until a pre-draft physical discovered a stress fracture in his foot, operated on last week, that will probably keep him on the bench until 2015. In the No. 4 pick, the Orlando Magic choose Arizona power forward Aaron Gordon, and Australian guard Dante Exum was the No. 5 pick, taken by the Utah Jazz. You can read about these and the other Top 50 picks at the Los Angeles Times.

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.