McDonald's restaurants have been in Canada since the late 1960s.
In only the last couple of years, though, Canadian hoops imports have become regulars in the annual McDonald's All-American game.
This year's exhibition — played on March 30 at the United Center in Chicago — will feature three of them.
After Texas-bound duo Cory Joseph and Tristan Thompson both made the showcase last season, another Longhorns signee leads the way this year.
Myck Kabongo, who like Joseph and Thompson is finishing his prep career at Findlay (Nev.) Prep, is joined by fellow countrymen Khem Birch of Notre Dame (Mass.) Prep and Kyle Wiltjer from Jesuit (Ore.) on the West team.
Oddly enough, Kabongo and Wiltjer are the only two members of the so-called 'West' squad who play west of the central time zone. And they were imported to do so.
That's one of several shorelines of note regarding this year's McDonald's rosters, which were announced on Thursday afternoon.
Left Coast left out
The West team is 'West' in name only. Even it's coach is from the Chicago suburbs — St. Joseph (Ill.) High's Gene Pingatore, who you probably remember from Hoop Dreams fame.
Look, it wasn't a loaded year for West Coast prospects, but there were certainly a few who you could say got legitimately snubbed.
The most notable of them include Josiah Turner (arguably the class's top point guard), Tony Wroten (who took his angst to Twitter) and Nick Johnson (maybe the top senior defender in the country, and also possibly its most thrilling dunker).
A lack of West Coast voters involved in the process likely didn't help their causes.
The 2012 class out west is a little deeper, and should help restore some order in that area next spring.
Kentucky leads the way
Three current Kentucky freshmen — Brandon Knight, Terrence Jones and Doron Lamb — were McDonald's All-Americans a year ago, though at the time of their selections, none of them had yet committed to John Calipari.
That number tied with North Carolina for the most in last year's game, but this year, UK is all by itself.
Four future Wildcats were selected for the game: Wiltjer, Pike (Ind.) High point guard Marquis Teague, Prespectives Charter (Ill.) forward Anthony Davis and St. Patrick (N.J.) forward Michael Gilchrist.
Duke features three, while UNC, Ohio State, Louisville and Syracuse each have two.
Some familiar names
Marshall Plumlee and Cody Zeller will probably bring more name recognition to the average college hoops fan with them to Chicago than anyone else.
The 6-foot-8 Plumlee, whose selection to the game came as a bit of a surprise when compared to some of the guys who were left out, is headed to Duke, where older brothers Miles and Mason currently suit up
As for Zeller, the Indiana signee is the third McDonald's All-American in his family. Luke Zeller played in the game in 2004, then headed off to Notre Dame. Tyler earned the honors in 2008 and is now at North Carolina.
Ryan Greene covers UNLV and the Mountain West Conference for the Las Vegas Sun. Read his Rebels coverage and follow him on Twitter.
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