Holly MacKenzie - Raptors.com
Jared Sullinger didn’t plan to spend Toronto’s season opener stuck on the sidelines. Unfortunately, having surgery on the fifth metatarsal in his left foot on Monday meant Sullinger’s Raptors debut will have to wait. Despite the personal setback, Sullinger was happy about the team’s win against the Detroit Pistons and spoke glowingly about rookie Pascal Siakam who started in his place.
Speaking with the media after the team practiced on Thursday, Sullinger was sporting a cast and on crutches, but spent his time sprinkling in jokes and smiles was answering questions about his surgery.
“We were winning by 20 [without me],” Sullinger said. “My family texted me yesterday like, ‘wow, if you had played…’ well, I was like if, ‘I had played we’d probably have won by nine.’ It’s kind of a good thing I got hurt.”
Kidding aside, Sullinger was in good spirits three days after the procedure. When the pain in his foot didn’t subside during preseason, Sullinger made the decision to have the surgery because he said it was the safest and best thing to do longterm.
“We tried to let it heal and this is the safest thing, honestly,” he said. “I’d rather for it to happen now than like January or February, there’s always a positive outlook on everything.”
After Siakam’s first game, he credited the veterans on the team with helping him to prepare, but singled out Sullinger specifically for his encouragement.
“I think the veterans, they have been awesome to me, especially Sullinger,” Siakam said. “He’s been really helpful to me, just talking to me, helping me through this transition. I feel really bad that he’s hurt right now. I know he’s going to come back stronger and everything. I’m just wishing him a speedy recovery.”
At 24 years old, Sullinger is still a young player in the league, but with four seasons of experience under his belt, he’s taken to playing the role of savvy vet. Drafted by the Boston Celtics in 2012, Sullinger has had his share of lessons passed down by veteran teammates.
“One [mentor] retired this year in Kevin Garnett; one’s retiring next year in Paul Pierce,” Sullinger said. “Jason Terry, Courtney Lee, Gerald Green, Chris Wilcox, I could keep going. [Rajon] Rondo, I still talk to Rondo to this day. Those guys, they really took me and understood that this is how you play the game of basketball, this is the NBA life, this is what you’ve got to watch out for, this is what you need to do. Those guys really took me under their wing.
Although Wednesday’s victory was just the beginning of a long journey for this Raptors squad, Sullinger had high praise for Siakam’s efforts. Particularly in his NBA debut where he also had to manage nerves and excitement.
“The way he played yesterday, he may take my shoes,” Sullinger said. “Honestly, being a rookie, you’re just thinking, you’re constantly thinking, constantly trying to please the coach and I tell him all the time, just play your game. Nobody’s going to get mad about a shot, nobody’s going to get mad about if you have turnovers. As long as you’re playing hard and everybody knows it’s for the good of the team and it’s not a selfish play, we’ll understand.
“What you always want to do is help guys like Pascal, a guy that’s still learning the game of basketball, honestly. You just want to see him do his best.”