A Toronto Raptors division banner in April, back-to-back first overall NBA draft picks in June, but it wasn’t until September when Canada basketball really took the basketball world by storm. 7-footer Thon Maker left America to conclude his high school career in Canada. Unprecedented to say the least.

Sudanese-Australian 7’0″ Thon Maker will play prep basketball in Canada at Athlete Institute Orangeville Prep for the 2014-15 high school season.

Maker arguably the number one high school prospect on the planet; left Carlisle High School in Virginia for a pit stop at the Athlete Institute in Orangeville, ON in pursuit of a professional basketball career .

A move that initially raised some eye brows south of the border but became a no-brainer after experts analyzed particulars surrounding Makers decision.

On behalf of Hoops Hype Canada I was granted the privilege to toss it up with Thon Maker himself. One-on-One tackling topics from Orangeville Prep’s season prospects, his playing style, brother Matur and his international status.

An articulate young man, Maker explained his decision and updates the masses on all the above:

SONNY: Thon your arrival in Canada created a big buzz in the basketball community, for the average sports fan catching wind of you arrival, why Canada?

THON MAKER: I know this facility [Athlete Institute], I was here a little bit last year through the summer. Checked it out a little bit and figured out that it had all the tools and equipment’s you need to build a pro. Saw it again and it definitely does. That was one of the main reason why I came here to get better.

SONNY: Sudanese-Australian and you spent sometime in the States, can you talk about your overall impression about Canadian culture since arriving?

THON MAKER: It’s big in terms of basketball, they are arriving right now. They are really lifting off. Me coming here also gives it a little boost and a little push. It can bring attention sometimes. At the same time they are working, they are working to get theirs. They are not just settling off. They are actually working to get theirs.

SONNY: You played a national schedule with Carlisle High School last year and got a taste of what Athlete Institute Orangeville Prep can expect this upcoming season. You departing America and coming to Canada is understandably going to rub some Americans off the wrong way. What does your squad need to do to be prepared travelling south with the raucous crowds and tons of fan fare you will be drawing inside gymnasiums?

THON MAKER: Physicality and we are coming with it. This is a tough team, very tough team. Me being here also going up against these tough guys, we have 6’9’s, 6’10”, we have 6’8’s, 6’5’s were long and were big. We are definitely coming with the whole package. I go up against that every morning, every day and it’s nice, it’s lovely. Were not just going to settle, it’s not just a hype, everybody has got to look out. When we come it’s not going to be that easy to just walk around us and just think “Oh these are the guys from Canada” no, we are coming there with our names on our chests and back. We are bringing the word out and not going to relax, were coming to work.

SONNY: Little bit about yourself… We here some comparisons to Kevin Durant or Kevin Garnett but let’s here it from you, who do you think your game models most?

THON MAKER: It’s a lot of mixtures. It’s just basically playing basketball but people may see glimpses’ of other players in my game. I think it’s just me playing basketball and understanding how to play. If I were to match it with other players in the league I would say my footwork is pretty good with like a Kobe. His mentality, killer instinct I love that; he’s hungry he’s never settling. Like right now someone would just have given up on that injury but he’s not, he’s still playing and able to dunk it. I have a Kevin Durant frame type which I’m still working on also. Then you have a KG intensity like you just mentioned. So stuff like that people see a lot of and just say he looks like that, or he’s playing like this guy. Other then that I just concentrate on playing basketball.

Left To Right: 2017 6’10” Matur Maker & older brother 2016 7’0″ Thon Maker

SONNY: Little bit about your brother who we have been hearing from coaches that he’s shown drastic improvements since arriving at Athlete Institute. What kind of player is he like or what kind of position do you see him playing at when it comes to the next level?

THON MAKER: He’s a complete basketball player. Right now he’s our three man but he’s too aggressive (smiling). He has gotten so much better I cant even describe it. I don’t know how you can get that much better that quick. He’s had a smaller window then what I had in terms of working with my guardian Mr. Smith, but he’s managed to push through. Every morning and afternoon’s he’s going up against me at the same time and I like that because he’s coming aggressively and I’m not relaxing on him either. We go hard and it’s helping both of us at the same time but he’s got the most help out of it. I like it and it’s never going to stop.

SONNY: You mentioned your Sudanese-Australian but lots of talk surrounding your switch of schools recently about the possibility of you becoming a naturalized Canadian. Lot’s of people from down under are nervous. Any update on your international status? Leaning more to one way or the other?

THON MAKER: That never came across my mind. I’m just here to play basketball and concentrate basically. With that stuff I don’t know what people are saying out there right now. They can say whatever they want to say.

SONNY: With the U19 World Championships taking place in Greece next summer do you have any plans to play for Australia?

THON MAKER: I wanted to play last summer but I didn’t get to because of travel issues. I hope things work out next year, this coming year and things go well.

SONNY: Last but not least Athlete Institute. For average sports fans who are paying attention and waiting to hear a sound bite from the poster boy you’ve become what can they expect from Athlete Institute Orangeville Prep in 2014-2015?

THON MAKER: Were coming with a big bang. Our name is just ringing bells right now but it’s about to explode. Right now were cooking a lot, we have a lot in the kitchen. We have twelve chefs and five other recipe, ingredient getters that right now are working. When we get the whole thing started off people are going to see were serious about this and we are really serious about it. They just haven’t seen the inside of it.

There you have it. Your pre-season state of the union from the young man, the myth, the legend Thon Maker himself. Athlete Institute Orangeville Prep tip off their campaign Saturday November 1st at the Powerade Center in Brampton, Ontario versus the Peel Regional champions and fourth place finalists from the Ontario provincial championships in 2014 D’Youville.

READ MORE: Thon Maker To Canada
READ MORE: Maker’s Guardian State Of The Union

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