Kammala jumla mai zuwa: A 1997 NHL Entry Draft, an zaɓi Luongo a zagaye na farko, na huɗu gaba ɗaya, ta New York Islanders. Zaɓin ya kasance na asalin Toronto Maple Leafs amma an yi musayar shi zuwa Islanders a musayar Wendel Clark, Mathieu Schneider da D. J. Smith. A lokacin da aka tsara, Luongo shi ne mafi yawan masu tsaron gida a tarihin NHL, ya wuce Tom Barrasso, John Davidson, da Ray Martynuik na biyar na zaɓaɓɓu a 1983, 1973, da 1970 (zaɓin Luongo daga baya ya wuce Rick DiPietro na farko na zaɓaɓɓu na Islanders a
2000) da kuma