TORONTO — If you follow basketball north of the border, there’s one name that likely needs no introduction: Elijah Fisher.

He’s a 6-foot-7 combo-guard from Crestwood Preparatory School in the North York borough of Toronto, Ontario. Now entering his junior year of high school, Fisher already has a series of DI offers on his plate and is widely regarded as the No. 1 prospect in the class of 2023.

Although, his rapid rise is nothing new for the young ‘Canuck’, as he fast tracked and began playing varsity high school basketball when he was in the 7th grade. So, not only was he facing off with some of the best high-schoolers in Canada, but he was doing it at just 12-years-old.

From there, Fisher would go on to thrive in 8th grade, averaging 23.5 points, eight rebounds, 4.2 assists, and two blocks per game, with his team nearly pulling off the upset over American powerhouse Oak Hill Academy 73-71. By the time Fisher reached grade 9, he was already one of the top recruits in the country, with more than 10 major DI college offers at his disposal.

The GTA-product carries a unique combination of talent, length, physicality and mental toughness that’s next to impossible to find at such a young age. But what makes Fisher’s story truly so unique is that he never had to leave his home country to get noticed.

With so many Canadians up and leaving for “better opportunities” in the U.S., this was a trend that Fisher was hoping to break with his stay in North York. Rather, his focus has been to help build up the current system in Canada, and entirely re-create how scouting north of the border gets done. As explained in detail by his father nearly 2 years ago:

“I think that he could be a trailblazer for many different things that haven’t necessarily been done before. Like, for instance, him potentially being the first kid to be a McDonald’s All-American (despite) going to a Canadian school, and even being on the ESPN rankings, which is stuff that is in the works… Him being able to change that will affect (other) kids.”

Fisher has always made it a point of emphasis to be 100% “Canadian-made,” and help set up future generations of players north of the border. A mission that motivates him more and more every day:

“These days I feel like the biggest obstacle I have to deal with is me being Canadian, ‘cause not everybody looks at me the same. They look at me different, like I’m an alien or something… The Americans think that we are soft, that we don’t really come to play, no energy, none of that. That we’re just soft Canadians that will get pushed around. I want to change that narrative and make Canada something different. The mindset is to go down there and kill, kill everything I see on the court.”

It’s no secret that many Canadian hoopers have risen through the ranks, only to leave for bigger, more renowned, American institutes. Not only is it refreshing to hear that Fisher wants to play no part in this, but it’s also encouraging to see such a young individual so focused on shifting the course of Canadian basketball.

Fisher is now entering his junior year with Crestwood Prep, coming off another exceptional campaign in 2019-20. In which he put up 24 points, seven rebounds, three assists, 2.3 steals and 1.2 blocks per game on 49% shooting from the field and over 35% from deep. A season which helped to further establish himself across the board against some of the top prep schools in Canada.

He’s also been competing with Grassroots Elite Canada, an esteemed GTA-based AAU program that constantly runs with some of the top-ranked American teams, for nearly four years.

You don’t need to be an “expert” of the game to see that Elijah Fisher is a world-class athlete who can create off the dribble, jump out of the gym and has the desire to be an all-time great. Even Ro Russell, Crestwood’s head coach, had the following to say on Fisher’s work ethic and future in the sport:

“He’s been in the gym two times a day. Getting up for 5:00 AM workouts… He sacrificed a lot of his childhood… He wants to be the greatest basketball player of all time.”

The truth is that players with similar play styles or physical traits may come around annually, but very few carry the same level of intensity, maturity and leadership ability as Elijah Fisher.

With less than two years before Fisher can decide on where he wants to go, whether that be the NCAA or elsewhere, it’s only a matter of time before he completely takes over the game.

Regardless of where he ends up, he’s got everything it takes to transform the sport of basketball, and he should be set up perfectly to make an even bigger impact come 2023.

With all this being said, one thing’s for certain. He is, without question, one of the most talented basketball players that Canada has ever seen.

This is an unedited user writing submission. The views, information, or opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Best Version Media or its employees.