SUNRISE (AP) — Connor McDavid’s favorite hockey player is Sidney Crosby. His favorite non-skating athlete is LeBron James.
He’s now in their club, forever to be known as a No. 1 pick.
McDavid’s journey toward widely expected NHL superstardom officially began Friday night when the Edmonton Oilers grabbed him with the top overall selection in the draft. No player has entered the league with such hype since Crosby a decade ago, and his level of celebrity within the game already may rival what James was dealing with when he joined the NBA in 2003.
“It was even better than I expected,” McDavid said.