Vaughan council may declare NBA draft day Andrew Wiggins Day
You could be wishing your neighbours Happy Wiggins Day June 26.

Thornhill Liberal
May 12, 2014
Adam Martin-Robbins

 

Thornhill Councillor Alan Shefman aims to have NBA Draft Day - June 26, 2014 - declared Andrew Wiggins Day to commemorate the achievements of the highly touted Vaughan basketball prospect.

“I think it’s really important that we recognize excellence and, secondly, recognize people that have the potential to be heroes to young people in our community,” Mr. Shefman said. “Andrew Wiggins, a Vaughan kid playing ball at one of our local high schools and growing up in our community, is great example of somebody who can, through his athletic ability ... become not only a hero, but a role model for people.”

The 19-year-old, who starred as a freshman with the Kansas Jayhawks this past season, is widely expected to go high in the draft, if not first overall.

Mr. Wiggins grew up in Thornhill and was a star basketball player at Vaughan Secondary School.

Mr. Shefman said his motivation came, in part, from media reports that all describe Mr. Wiggins as modest and nice.

“It seems like his character was well moulded by his parents, who in their own right are well-known and appreciated in our community,” Mr. Shefman said.

Andrew is the son of former NBA player Mitchell Wiggins and former Canadian Olympic track and field champion Marita Payne-Wiggins.

Mr. Shefman’s resolution will be debated at a committee of the whole meeting at city hall tomorrow afternoon and he’s confident it’s going to be a slam-dunk with his colleagues.

“ It’s one of those feel-good, no-cost approaches to things,” he said. “It’s about, again, celebrating the great things that are part of our city.”