Canadian forward Anthony Bennett is Cavaliers top pick in NBA draft

Canadian Anthony Bennett, a power forward who played one year at University of Nevada, Las Vegas, leaped over a pair of touted centres to emerge as the top pick by the Cleveland Cavaliers at the NBA draft.

While many draft analysts predicted Nerlens Noel of Kentucky or Ukrainian Alex Len of Maryland would go No 1, the versatile, 6-foot-8 (2.03-metre) Bennett was the surprise top choice of a Cavs team that finished last season with a 24-58 record.

"I'm just as surprised as everybody else," Bennett, who averaged 16.1 points and 8.1 rebounds as a freshman at Las Vegas last season, said at Barclays Centre, home of the Brooklyn Nets.

"I heard everything was up for grabs. But I'm just real happy, glad that I have this opportunity, and I just got to thank God for everything."

Injuries to Noel (knee) and Len (foot) may have cooled the Cavs to those young big men, but Toronto native Bennett himself required shoulder surgery at the end of his college season and that did not deter the Cavaliers.

"It's just crazy. Made history," said an excited Bennett. "It's just like a long-time dream that I had since I first started playing basketball."