Part 2: S&E Student Blog Challenge Runner-Up

S&E and the Canadian Sports Business Network recently held a student blog challenge allowing any current students to participate. Students were asked to submit a blog on the topic of “The Top 5 Canadian Athletes You’ve Never Heard Of.” You can read the winning blog entry here.

Below is a runner-up post submitted by Craig Oliver, Sport Management Student at Brock University in St. Catharines, Ontario.

The Top 5 Canadian Athletes You’ve Never Heard of

Author: Craig Oliver

Whether endorsing basketball shoes, hockey sticks, or even a product completely unrelated to sport, athletes have been a key factor in selling products, since commercial sport emerged. In Canada, we have had the privilege of watching some of the greatest athletes in the world perform. However, like many of life’s aspects, we are always looking for “the next big thing,” and while we have an abundance of upcoming talent in hockey, look no further than these five young bright athletes in the next years.

Name: Jamal Murray

Born: Kitchener, Ontario — 1997

Sport: Basketball (Shooting Guard — University of Kentucky)

Relatable Athlete: Andrew Wiggins (Endorsements — Adidas, Biosteel, etc.)

If you haven’t seen Jamal Murray play, do yourself a favor and watch him on Youtube right now. Jamal Murray is an elite level talent, who is playing under legendary coach John Calipari at Kentucky. Jamal recently competed in the 2015 Pan-Am Games, where he played alongside fellow Canadians Anthony Bennett and Andrew Nicholson en route to a silver medal finish.

Murray has a very endearing, flashy style of play, that always keeps defenses, and fans alike, on their toes. Jamal is currently predicted to go at the #9 spot in the 2016 draft, but look for him to really up his draft stock during this year’s March Madness and during the rest of his season at Kentucky.

Name: Kadeisha Buchanan Born: Toronto, Ontario — 1995

Sport: Soccer (Defender — Canadian National Team, West Virginia Mountaineers)

Relatable Athlete: Christine Sinclair (Endorsements — EA Sports)

Over the past couple years, it is safe to say that Canadians have fallen in love with the women’s soccer team. They are a hard working, tightly-knit group of individuals who have inspired millions of Canadians nationwide.

One of the key standouts in the 2015 women’s world cup was Kadeisha Buchanan. Kadeisha’s fantastic ability warranted her the coveted, “2015 Women’s World Cup — Best Young Player Award.” She anchored the backline for Canada and some analysts argued that she was the best player for Canada during the tournament. From her signature, Canadian-themed red-dyed dreadlocks, to her strategically mature poise on the field; Kadeisha Buchanan is going to be a top target for endorsements and elite women’s clubs alike.

Furthermore, women’s soccer is growing rapidly. Canadian captain Christine Sinclair, has reached super-star status, with her appearance on the cover of FIFA 16. With the positive female movement toward soccer, and the passion and love we have for our team, the sky is truly the limit for Kadeisha Buchanan.

Name: Andre De Grasse

Born: Scarborough, Ontario — 1994

Sport: Sprinting (Team Canada, USC Trojans)

Relatable Athlete: Usain Bolt (Gatorade, Hublot, Virgin Media, Visa, etc.)

Andre De Grasse is no ordinary human being. At the age of 20, Andre competed in the 2015 World Championships in Beijing and finished 3rd. The only competitors to beat him were Justin Gatlin (33 years old), and household name, Usain Bolt (29 years old). De Grasse has impressed at every event, including securing gold at the 2015 Pan Am Games in the 100 meter, and 200-meter sprint.

The endorsement potential for Andre is through the roof. We have seen companies willing to spend millions upon millions of dollars on Usain Bolt, making him the 73rd highest paid athlete in 2015. Keep an eye De Grasse in the upcoming Olympics. With his work ethic, drive and a vast array of potential endorsements, keeping an eye on him won’t be too difficult.

Name: Brooke Henderson

From: Smith Falls, Ontario — 1997

Sport: Golf

Relatable Athlete: Mike Weir (TaylorMade, RBC, Titleist, Booster Juice, etc.)

In a small town, less than an hour south of Ottawa, a huge talent has emerged. At 18, Brooke Henderson has decided to go pro — and for a great reason. Brooke is one of the best female golfers in the entire world. So far, she has raked in 6 professional wins, including an LPGA tour win at the Cambia Portland Classic. Her success, along with her bright, energetic personality has also allowed her to acquire sponsorships from companies such as IMG, RBC, Sunice Golf, Ping and Titleist.

As we know, when it comes to golf, sponsorships play a huge role for the athlete’s success. Golfers, get to decide what they wear while they play, and what kind of equipment they play with. At her current pace, Brooke is on her way to becoming one of the greatest female golfers of all time. Guaranteed, if this is your first time of hearing about Brooke Henderson, it definitely won’t be your last.

Name: Josh Naylor

From: Mississauga, Ontario — 1997

Sport: Baseball (First baseman — Miami Marlins, Texas Tech University)

Relatable Athletes: Russell Martin (Sponsors — Sony Computer Entertainment)

Of the five athletes named, Josh Naylor is my dark horse. I’m not saying that he has less potential than the others, I just mean that it’s going to be a while before we see him surface on the big stage, due to the MLB’s extensive seasoning process.

Naylor was selected 12th overall by the Miami Marlins in the 2015 MLB draft; however, his name has been buzzing for years. At the age of 15, Josh was able to find a spot on the U-18 Canadian Junior National Team, winning silver in South Korea. Josh continued to play with the team for the next two years, before being drafted 12th overall by the Miami Marlins. As you may guess, Josh is a power hitter, who has an uncanny knack for seeing the ball. Even if it takes awhile, expect to see Josh Naylor making headlines across the baseball world in the future.

Jamal Murray, Kadeisha Buchanan, Andre De Grasse, Brooke Henderson and Josh Naylor are five of the brightest upcoming stars that Canadian sport has to offer. We can see Canada beginning to successfully diversify in sport and create waves of influence in sports other than hockey, thereby endorsing hundreds of brands. In the coming years, we can expect to see these five athletes break into stardom, and truly become a brand of their own.

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