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Vivek Jacob

Gary Trent Jr. is a consummate professional and he has every reason to be with his father having provided a blueprint since childhood. He knows how to focus on controlling only what he can and understands that there’ll be bumps in the road in any athlete’s journey. There’s hardly anything in Trent Jr.’s manual when it comes to being an NBA pro that he didn’t get from Gary Trent Sr.

Yet, when Trent Jr. looked ahead to the off-season last May, he was quick to spotlight Pascal Siakam’s work ethic and drive as something he wanted to learn from. In the midst of being Toronto’s most underrated internal development story of the season, Trent Jr. credited Siakam for the intent with which he attacks each day.

“I wouldn’t say I stole his blueprint but I would say his approach,” Trent Jr. said at practice Wednesday. “He comes in, he puts in the work. Good games, bad games, he’s gonna work. Obviously, I already knew that and it’s good to see that, but when we’ve got Pascal doing it and leading the way, everybody sees it and follows it. Can’t do nothing but have the dominos falling effect.”

For Siakam, the dominos of his work ethic have been falling ever since he started playing organized basketball at the age of 17. Now, that sustained intent in becoming the best player he can be has brought him to the precipice of true superstardom as the Raptors’ main lynchpin.

His 35-point night in a win over Charlotte seems to have become par for the course. How much can an 11-for-13 night against the 11-32 Hornets stand out when he’s literally had a 14-for-17 night in the NBA Finals? It marked the seventh time he scored at least 30 points in a game this season and the 50th time of his career in the regular season, fourth-most in franchise history.

What does stand out most is the variety to his attack now.

The ability to score in and around the basket with brilliant footwork assisted by clever spins and feints will always be his bread and butter, but the mid-range started to add a different dimension last year, and now three-pointers from above the break, as well as getting to the free-throw line at a career-best rate are making his game as whole as can be.

After hovering at just over five free-throw attempts per game for the last three seasons, Siakam is now up to 8.6 attempts per game this season. That’s a story in and of itself, the fact that what some may have perceived to be an aspect of his game that had reached its limit or gone stagnant but he still kept believing that it could be an avenue of growth.

The 28-year-old had already been drawing fouls on 13.5 percent of his shots last season to put him in the 90th percentile among forwards but has now catapulted to the 94th percentile with an 18.9 percent rate so far this season. There are some guards and forwards who always focus on the finish, even evading contact to cleanly get the shot off even if it means making the attempt more difficult, others who have the sole intent of drawing the foul and can sometimes look silly when no whistle follows. Siakam belonged in the former category and made it a point of emphasis this off-season to move closer to the middle of that spectrum.

“Just being a threat from different levels on the floor helps,” Siakam said after the win Thursday in which he went 10-for-12 at the line. “I definitely work on that, there was a lot of film watching and just trying to see how I can exploit the defence and I think most of the time for me I always wanted to be quicker and just finish it instead of sometimes just taking what the defence is giving you and being more calm, off two feet, different things that I think about every time I’m out there and that’s helping. Hopefully, it keeps going that way.”

Siakam was asked if he’s got anything in the works that might present a new wrinkle for defences by the end of the season but elected not to reveal anything. Watching him take three-pointers in end of quarter scenarios, though – he knocked down his fourth of the season on Thursday – is eyebrow raising when considering it’s something he didn’t look to do in those situations a season ago and of course when looking back on his starting point in recognizing the need to become a shooting threat.

It all began after leading the Raptors 905 to a G League championship in 2017, when he joined the parent club just in time to get swept by Cleveland and learn that if he wanted to get minutes in an NBA post-season, he would need to learn how to shoot jumpers. The day following Toronto’s season-ending loss, Siakam was in the gym telling the coaches he wanted to work on his shooting.

“We changed some mechanics but that’s a very small thing,” Nurse said during the Raptors’ 2019 championship run. “He took it and just absolutely ran with it. Two, three times a day, every day, just trying to get that part of his game better and that just shows that he was extremely hard working, just super, super committed to finding a place in this league and improving his game.”

In addition to flirting with a flair for the dramatic from long distance, Siakam is knocking down 37 percent of his catch-and-shoot threes and 34 percent of his non-corner threes which is his highest percentage from that area save for the 2019-20 season.

“A lot of reps, I don’t know an exact number,” Siakam said when asked how long it takes to make something he practices worthy of executing in a game setting. “There’s people out there who are super talented and maybe they can do it a quicker way, they’re just gifted that way. I just feel like I have to continue to work, some things come naturally and some things you have to work on them and you have to have a lot of reps. I’m one of those guys that’s gonna do all the reps, I’m gonna be out there every single day doing it over and over.”

Averaging 26.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 6.4 assists with a 57.3 true shooting percentage – a career-best mark since taking on the lead role for the Raptors – Siakam continues to scale new heights and prove his ceiling genuinely remains unknown. There isn’t a facet of basketball he isn’t willing to explore in order to get better, and the results so far have him set to make a second all-star appearance.

“I never want to be satisfied,” Siakam said. “I never wanna feel like I have nothing to work on. I feel like there's always something to work on. There's always something to get better at. And I think it depends on different games, different opponents, it could be anything and I just don't want to be content with being okay. I want to see how far I can reach. I want to see the levels I can get to, and it's like, ‘Why not?’”

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Proof is always in the work

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The Raptors organization was well represented at NBA Africa 2017. In the second ever game played on the continent, Kyle Lowry, Serge Ibaka and Masai Ujiri all attended the NBA Basketball Without Borders event that included basketball clinics, daily life skill seminars for the campers, and also a day of work giving back with Habitat for Humanity. In the end, on the basketball court, it was Lowry who earned bragging rights over his teammate, as Team World defeated Team Africa 108-97 in Saturday’s game.

Lowry finished with 13 points, seven rebounds, five assists and four steals in 23 minutes of action as Team World pulled away from Team Africa late. Team World had built an early 33-19 lead after the opening quarter, but Team Africa came right back in the second quarter, before Team World went ahead with a three-point advantage at the half. After a back-and-forth third quarter, the game was tied at 77 heading into the fourth. With his team holding a one-point lead with 1:05 remaining, Lowry made back-to-back shots to extend Team World’s lead to five points, helping to seal the victory. Ibaka finished with seven points, three rebounds, an assist and a block in the loss as Team Africa was led by Victor Oladipo who recorded 28 points, nine rebounds, five assists, one steal and one block en route to being named Game MVP.

While the game was the main event, for the players, the opportunity to give back was something they’ll never forget.

“[Thursday] with Habitat for Humanity, building homes for the people in need here [was amazing],” Lowry said. “I think we built 10 homes. It's just being out here and giving back as much as we possibly can. And then going through camp and helping the campers, giving them little insights on how to play, how to help them. The experience, it's an honor to be here and a pleasure of mine to be around.”

Like Lowry,  Ibaka was thrilled with the NBA’s commitment to giving back.

“It means a lot to me,” Ibaka said. “It’s something I love to do. I’ve been doing this kind of work the last eight years now, since I’ve been in the league and I love to do it, every time I have an opportunity to come back home and do those kind of things, to me, it’s a blessing and it’s my job, it’s my job to do that because I know theres a lot of people watching, a lot of young kids watching, one day, they are going to make it out of there and it’s always good to show them how those things work. Wherever you make it one day, you never forget where you come from."

“Thank the NBA Cares for giving me this opportunity to do this again. I’ve been doing this kind of work with my foundation back home in the Congo, before here, and having another opportunity to come here and do it again, I feel blessed for that.”

Lowry brought his family along with him for the experience. Heading into his 11th season, Lowry is no stranger to the opportunities his platform as an NBA All-Star have given him. Still, getting the chance to make a positive impact doesn’t ever get old.

“The game has taken me so many places, and this is another place that I can take off the checklist now,” Lowry said. “The game of basketball has been amazing to me, to my family. I understand that. That's why I appreciate it and I give so much back to the game. Being able to experience these things from the game of basketball, it's pretty cool. There's no way to say I'm not happy about it. I love it, and I'll always continue to give back to the game. The NBA and basketball has given so much to grow the game globally, [if] I have an opportunity to be there, to do it.”

“Masai really gives so much and gives back so much, and he's so passionate about it,” he said. “For the president of your team to be so passionate about helping others, it just shows how much he cares about the continent that he's from.”

Watching the growth of the event has been especially special for Ujiri who has worked on growing basketball in Africa since he entered the NBA.

“It’s creating so much more awareness,” Ujiri said. “Kids are dreaming big, they’re believing. The business part, which is most important – and when I say that, we have to focus on building facilities and coaching the coaches and taking it to other places other than this – teaching people to go back to their communities and make a difference. Go do something else and improving them in that way is very important.

Over the years, it’s so important that they see JoJo Embiid and Luc Mbah a Moute and Gorgui Dieng, guys that have come out of this camp and gone and succeeded. When we do our life skills session, it's important for us to mention that Luc Mbah a Moute was sitting in those seats, or Gorgui Dieng was sitting in those seats. And then the legends, you know, the Dikembe Mutombos, the work that Amadou Gallo Fall is doing down here, it's good that these kids and people know that even if you don’t make the NBA, there are other things you can do related to sports. And that's how big the NBA is. This is definitely a great time.”

In addition to the Basketball Without Borders Africa  festivities, Ujiri’s Giants of Africa will host skills camps in Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Nigeria, Ivory Coast and Senegal throughout August.

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Raptors Well Represented At NBA Africa 2017

toralaksmana

It didn't take long after the Toronto Raptors introduced newly signed CJ Miles for a reporter to ask him about his expectations for the upcoming season. After pointing out that Miles had played the role of starter and reserve in previous situations, the reporter asked Miles which role he would prefer playing in Toronto. Miles response, without hesitation, revealed a glimpse into who the sharpshooter is away from the floor, and why the team was so elated to sign him.

“I feel comfortable winning,” Miles said with a smile. “Whatever they ask me to do, whatever’s going to be the best situation for our team that helps our team go, that’s what I’m going to be.”

Anyone tuning in for Toronto’s seven-game first-round series against the Indiana Pacers in 2016 knows what Miles can do on the floor. A 6-foot-6 guard-forward that can stretch the floor is a necessity in today’s NBA. Getting a shooter that can also defend — and play — multiple positions will space the floor and open things for Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan. More than what he can do on the court though, Miles fits in perfectly with the identity and culture the Raptors organization has been building over the past few years.

Golden State Warriors associate head coach Mike Brown coached Miles in Cleveland. While he had plenty to say about how Miles’ shooting will help whatever team he is suiting up for, what stood out most about coaching him was a memory from the first meeting the two had as player and head coach. After taking the head coaching position in Cleveland, Brown wanted to meet with each player on the roster individually to get a feel for who they are as people. Trying to arrange flights and visits with an entire basketball roster in the offseason is a logistical nightmare. Miles offered simple solution.

“When I was trying to set something up with CJ, he was like, ‘You know Coach, I know you’re trying to hit every guy, if you want, I’ll just come meet you at the airport.’” Brown said. “I was like, ‘Really?’ He said, ’Yeah, I’ll come meet you at the airport, we’ll chop it up at the airport, this way you can spend an hour or so, whatever it is between connections with me and then you can just keep on going to whoever you need to go.’ Think about it. How many NBA guys are going to go to the airport, not just go to the airport, but drive there, park their car, walk to the terminal, sit there and wait for me to get off the plane, then chat it up for a little bit then let me get back on my connection and see me off?

“He’s just a great guy. Toronto obviously got a very good basketball player. Not only a very good basketball player, but a type of basketball player that’ll help benefit the entire team. That will help make your superstars lives a lot easier, but you also got a great human being as well. That’s why this guy has a chance to be in the league for a long, long time.”

Brown’s admiration of Miles is mutual. Despite just a single season together in 2013-14, Brown’s impact on Miles’ game has been everlasting.

“I think one of the first people that said something about [me becoming an elite 3-point shooter] was Mike Brown when I was in Cleveland,” Miles said. “One day we sat down and he said for as well as you can shoot it, I feel like you don’t shoot enough and that’s from a three-point standpoint. That’s from the game and even the way you work on your game. You’re always in the gym but I don’t’ see you really honing in and working on that with it being such a weapon that you have. I accepted that challenge and I’ve taken pride in it over time and I’ve been able to use to my advantage, obviously, and my team’s advantage.”

Today, Miles is a known threat beyond the arc. He shot 41 percent from three for the Pacers in the 2016-17 season. That year with Brown helped him to get comfortable stretching his range and shooting more often from deep. Brown is now coaching in Golden State, where he has a front row seat on the sidelines to how important the 3-point shot has become in today’s NBA.

“The emphasis now, with the game being played at a faster pace, with the points being scored by every team, you need space on the floor,” Brown said. “When CJ is on the floor, for whoever he’s playing with, whether he has the ball in his hands or not, he has to be guarded. It’s going to make DeRozan, Lowry, those guys jobs, that much easier. Even the big guy down low, if he’s got a post up advantage, people have to think twice of double teaming. Not only do they think twice of double teaming, they have to think who are we going to come off, how are we going to rotate out of it and then there’s always that threat if they pass it out that you have more than a capable three-point shooter sitting out there waiting to knock that shot down.”

If Miles credits Brown with helping to expand his game and focus on long-range shooting, he credits former Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan with teaching him how to be a professional.

“One of the biggest things was playing for Jerry Sloan,” Miles said. “That was the first coach I had in the NBA, and I tell people all of the time that was one of the reasons I’m able to still be there. He instilled that work ethic into the way I approach the game, that bring-your-lunchpail type of way, to make sure you do what you’re supposed to do to help your team and yourself be better.”

Miles came into the league as an 18-year-old rookie, drafted by the Utah Jazz in the final draft where players could enter straight out of high school. Though his playing time varied in his first few years in Utah — with Miles also doing stints with the team’s G-League affiliate, his experience with the Jazz helped shape his approach as a professional basketball player. Not only did he grow as a player with the Jazz, he grew up in Utah. After putting on a Jazz uniform for the first time at 18, he didn’t wear another jersey until he signed with the Cavaliers seven years later, at 25.

Ask around the league and the response is the same: great player, even greater person. When news of Miles’ signing with the Raptors was announced, Miles’ Twitter and Instagram accounts were flooded with messages of appreciation from Pacers fans. He is excited about a new challenge with his new team and his All-Star Raptors teammates are equally amped as well.

“I spoke to Kyle, Masai and DeMar and a bunch of a coaches within about an hour and a half of when it came official,” Miles said. “That was special to me to talk to them all and have them reach out to me how they felt about what they’re building, what they’re trying to do.”

It’s easy for a player to say they’ll do whatever is asked of them for the betterment of the team. It can be more difficult to follow through on those words when that ask is a challenging one, but that’s exactly what Miles did in Indiana during the 2015-16 season when he played the power forward position to allow teammate Paul George to continue playing at his small forward spot. Despite being undersized, he took the challenge every night — without complaint, giving his best effort, for the best of the team because that's what was asked of him. His unselfishness did not go unnoticed by Indiana’s coaching staff and front office.

Frank Vogel spoke to the Indy Star about Miles, calling his willingness to play out of position incredible. “He really is one of the best team-first guys in this group,” Vogel said. Larry Bird spent an offseason watching Miles workout in preparation for his new role. He came away impressed. “One night he’ll start; one night he won't," Bird said. "He’ll play a lot of minutes one game and maybe 15 or 20 the next. Being a piece of what we’re trying to do here, he’s been excellent. You can’t ask for any more.”

As Miles has matured from youngest player on the team to veteran player in the locker room, he has naturally taken on a leadership role through example. Though not necessarily the loudest, most demonstrative player on the floor, his approach and sacrifice sets an example for teammates.

“The biggest thing is that it doesn’t always have to be a show,” Miles said. “You don’t have to be rah, rah, yelling, people don’t have to see you swinging your arms or pointing, grabbing someone by the back of the jersey, whatever it may be. I think it’s just about the way you approach every day, the way you come in. Everybody has to be spoken to differently, but my biggest thing is the way I approach the game, the way I work at it, I want to be able to help my team. Unselfishness is always contagious, guys want to be part of that. Fun is contagious, guys want to win and the only way to do that is being unselfish, being able to do the right things for your basketball team.”

After witnessing Toronto’s fan support firsthand in the 2016 playoffs, Miles knew the Raptors were building something special in Canada. In addition to the vocal support from Raptors fans — both at home in Toronto and on the road in Indiana — Miles liked the support he saw within Toronto’s roster, from top to bottom. That camaraderie and support was attractive to him, but ultimately, what brought him to Toronto was a situation where he saw an opportunity to continue growing while also helping his team.

“Of the teams I spoke to, first of all, winning was humongous to me,” Miles said. “I wanted to be able to win. I wanted to be able to come to a situation where I felt like we were going to continue to win, continue to grow. That was the biggest thing. The culture, from talking to guys that have been here or been around it, coach [Casey], after I spoke to him, just from my own eyes. Seeing it with my own eyes, playing against them, competing and then coming in here and playing in this arena, the amount of energy, the way Jurassic Park outside the arena there’s nothing comparable to that at this moment and I thought that was really special to want to be a part of.”

Thanks to the combination of Miles' sharpshooting skills and willingness to putt the team first, Raptors fans are sure to appreciate the player wearing #0, on and off the floor this season.

raptors-get-sharpshooter-great-teammate-in-cj-miles

Raptors Get Sharpshooter, Great Teammate in CJ Miles

Kennedy Meeks has been intrigued by the Toronto Raptors since his pre-draft workout in May. After an impressive summer league stint with the team where the four-year senior out of UNC averaged 11.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 15.5 minutes  in five games, the Raptors let him know the interest was mutual when they announced they had signed him to a contract.

When Meeks first came through Toronto during the pre-draft process, he had a good showing in a workout that he said had been mainly focused on attacking the rim and knocking down the 3-point shot. Like newly signed C.J. Miles, Meeks mentioned the team culture as one of the things that made Toronto stand out from other stops along the way.

“This is definitely a great organization,” he said. “The coaching staff are tremendous and the players are kind and nice and you can tell that they play together for sure.”

That praise grew stronger after his time with the team in Las Vegas, where Jama Mahlalela and Patrick Mutombo served as head coaches of Toronto’s summer league squad. Despite just days practicing together with new teammates, the summer Raptors seemed to be on the same page from the jump.

“I think we definitely did a great job in practice,” Meeks said of the team’s summer league stint. “I think Coach Jama and [Coach] Mutombo definitely got us going. I think they brought the energy first and we followed them right away and that’s all you can ask for. We didn't know each other before this, I think that we really got after it right away and that’s all that matters.”

After following up a 15-point, nine-rebound debut with a 12-point performance in 10 minutes off the bench, Meeks’ work ethic got a shout out from Mutombo in his post-game media availability.

“He works hard,” Mutombo said of Meeks' effort in Vegas. “He pays attention to detail. He’s smart and he has a good feel for the game.”

Despite the team closing out Vegas with two losses, Meeks continued to impress, and stand out. Though Mahlalela and Mutombo would have liked more victories, both acknowledged the purpose of summer league is to serve as a training ground for younger players who don’t normally get as many reps in the regular season. In addition, it allows the team to get a closer look at players like Meeks, who went undrafted in the 2017 NBA draft.

In four seasons with North Carolina, Meeks averaged 10.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.1 blocks and 21.3 minutes. He helped the Tar Heels win a national championship in his senior year and ranks fifth all-time in school history for rebounds. His 152 offensive rebounds this past season were the most by a North Carolina player in a single season since the school started recording the stat in 1995-96. He continued his strong season by averaging 12.2 points and 11.5 rebounds in 26.2 minutes per game in the NCAA Tournament, earning All-Final Four honours after a career high-tying 25-point, 14-rebound performance in the semifinals.

Failing to hear his name get called on draft night was disappointing, but Meeks is prepared to do all he can to prove he’s ready for the next level. He’s also happy he’ll be with the Raptors organization for this next step.

“I’m thankful to be in the position I’m in,” Meeks said as the team departed Las Vegas. “I’m with the team that I wanted to be with. Im definitely grateful for that. They’re a great organization. Not saying everybody else isn’t, but it just fits me the right way and I appreciate them.”

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MacKenzie: Meeks Making A Huge Impression

When Masai Ujiri was introduced as the general manager of the Toronto Raptors in 2013, he summed up the decision to to come back to Toronto as GM by saying, "I'm home."

On Friday morning the organization announced that Kyle Lowry and Serge Ibaka had re-signed with the team. As Lowry — entering his sixth season as a Raptor — and Ibaka— having spent just three months with the team — spoke with the media, each mentioned Toronto feeling like home.

Ujiri, now team president, recently announced that Bobby Webster had been promoted to general manager. While Ujiri, Webster, head coach Dwane Casey and the rest of the staff have spent much of the previous four seasons leading the team deeper into the playoffs than it had ever gone before, they've also remained steadfast in their desire to create a winning culture and carve out the Toronto Raptors identity. Listening to Ibaka and Lowry speak about their decisions to return to Toronto, it was clear that the organization has done well in their quest to create that culture and identity on and off the floor.

"On a personal note, I'd like to thank the Raptors organization, who have allowed me to come back to a place I call home," Lowry said. "It's been a great five years and for the next three years [I'll have the opportunity]  to take this organization to new heights. I want to thank Masai and Bobby for giving me the opportunity to keep leading the team and keep going. I think we started something and I think we're going to continue to grow and try to finish something and continue to get better."

After arriving in Toronto following the trade deadline in February, Ibaka adapted quickly to the system. Despite only a handful of games played with Lowry before the postseason began, due to Lowry rehabbing from a wrist injury, Ibaka liked what he saw from the Raptors on and off the floor. He felt good about his fit.

"First I want to thank the ownership for confidence and trust," Ibaka said. "I want to thank Masai and Bobby for their trust. It means a lot to me. Also I want to thank all of my coaches, coaching staff. I was here for half a season, playoffs, but what they showed it, it was more than just basketball. They made me feel like I was home. Also, I just want to thank all the fans here. Even before I got here, it was a lot of fans, media supporting me. And then when I got there, they really shows me the love. This is one of the things that really make me feel at home. That's why I'm very excited and happy to be back."

Both Lowry and Ibaka spoke about getting a full season with each other and how gaining a better understanding of the other's game will help their familiarity on the floor. While Ibaka mentioned getting to go through training camp and preseason as something that will help this season, Lowry was talking about continuing to improve and helping younger guys on the roster.

"I think me, fully healthy, being a better shooter, being a better leader, being just a better basketball player, making decisions better … there's a lot that goes into it," Lowry said. "It's mentally strengthening. You have to go in there mentally strong, and say, 'Okay my guys need this, or they need that.'

This will be Lowry's 12th season. Getting to lead a team has been a source of pride for the point guard.

"It means a lot," he said. "It means these kids, these young guys, they count on me. The organization counts on me. Every day it's coming in with the greatest of attitudes, the greatest of work ethics. Coming in and showing these guys that we have to work hard, we have to be on the same page to be a championship-level team."

While Lowry has helped Toronto reach a new level of on-court success, he credits Toronto with helping him away from the court as well.

"I've been here five years," Lowry said. "My kids are here. It's been a place I can grow as a man. Go from the age of 26 [when I arrived] to now 31, to be a better basketball player, to learn about the different cultures, different people in Toronto, and then having a great fanbase behind me? The fanbase has always been supportive of us and me and I'd like to thank them and show them that I'm happy they've done that for me."

The decision-making time of free agency provides athletes with quiet moments of reflection that disappear during the rigours of the season. As Lowry reflected on all that he's done in Toronto thus far, he explained how his mindset has changed.

"Now it's about making sure I get everyone else better and continuing something that I started five years ago," he said.

"I just want to continue to make sure that I give every last ounce of effort I could and make sure I've given everything I could."

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MacKenzie: Home Is Toronto Raptors

The Toronto Raptors handled a bit of front office news on Wednesday before entering the NBA’s free agency period that begins this weekend. The team announced a trio of front office promotions, beginning with Bobby Webster who was promoted to general manager, Dan Tolzman who was promoted to assistant general manager/vice president, player personnel and Keith Boyarsky who was promoted to vice president, basketball strategy and research. In the same press release, the team announced that Masai Ujiri will continue to oversee basketball operations as president of the club.

Shortly after the team announced the promotions, Webster met with the media to discuss his new role. Prior to Webster addressing the media for his first time as general manager, he was introduced by Ujiri, who had a few words to say about the front office promotions.

“Another great day, I think, for the Toronto Raptors,” Ujiri said. “Introducing Bobby Webster as our new general manager. I think it’s a long time coming. Bobby came here with me four years ago and has really, really served, grown, been a huge part of this organization. I’m really, really proud. Very well deserved.”

Like he has so many times before, Ujiri once again stressed that the organization’s goal is growth, on and off the floor, for everyone involved.

“With the Raptors, we believe in development,” he said. “It’s not only on-court development, I think front office, coaching, we want to give opportunity, and to give opportunity to a young man like this is very well deserved. I know it’s been a crazy day in the NBA. Today’s all about Bobby Webster, and he deserves it. And also Dan Tolzman and Keith Boyarsky, who were promoted. It’s their day. Everything we’ve done in this organization and going forward, they have contributed in every way that they could and have been a big part of it.”

Like Ujiri, Webster thanked those in attendance for the press conference, joking that he thought it might an empty room with just himself and the Raptors head of public relations present. Despite holding a new title within the organization, Webster pointed to Ujiri’s collaborative working style that allowed all members of the front office to be involved in big decisions and events — the draft, free agency, trades — as helping to keep his new role relatively similar, albeit with a louder voice, to his previous one.

“First off, honestly, I wanted thank Masai, Larry, MLSE and the board for giving me this opportunity,” Webster said. “I think it’s truly a test to their support and belief, not only in me, but as Masai said, kind of growing and developing their employees, and without their support and belief from day one I wouldn’t be in this position. At the same time, it think Keith and Dan, they also feel that and as we all kind of rise up, I think, we don't take it for granted and we’re extremely grateful.

At the same time, we’re ready, we’re confident to continue building a franchise here. Not only the front office, the coaches, the travel staff, you know, we believe in Masai and Masai believes in us so we’ll keep it going."

Webster credited his time with Ujiri and Jeff Weltman, the man he is replacing, after Weltman moved on to an opportunity in Orlando with the Magic, for helping to prepare him for his new role.

“Masai’s been great and every year I’ve been there he’s given me more responsibility,” Webster said. “I’ve learned from him, Jeff, obviously, has a ton of experience [as well]. A lot of the times it’s being a fly on the wall, traveling with them, being in the same room as them. So more experience, new situations and just continuing."

Prior to joining the Raptors in 2013, Webster spent seven seasons working for the NBA’s league office in New York for the NBA’s CBA group. Though most know of Webster’s time with the league office prior to coming to Toronto, on Wednesday he reminded everyone that he actually got his start within the league with a team, working with the Orlando Magic. It was there, he says, that he began thinking about what he’d like to end up doing in the league.

“There’s always been this intrigue, and I think anyone who gets into this business either wants to be a GM or a coach,” he said.

When asked the biggest thing he’s learned from working alongside Ujiri, Webster didn’t hesitate.

“Incredible leader,” Webster said of Ujiri. “That’s a huge thing. He leads with a passion and a purpose that people follow. I don't know if you can learn that but you can emulate it and make it your own."

raptors-continue-to-grow-as-they-promote-within

Raptors Continue To Grow As They Promote Within

Just a few years ago, the Indiana University basketball staff decided to take a chance on OG Anunoby. Attending an AAU event showcasing top-talent in Atlanta, the staff was drawn to a player whose name wasn’t even printed in the brochure for the event. After two years at Indiana, the Toronto Raptors were the ones choosing Anunoby with the 23rd overall pick in the NBA Draft. Much like Tom Crean’s coaching staff, Toronto’s front office is glad that other teams passed on the 19-year-old forward.

With the selection of Anunoby in the 2017 NBA Draft, the Raptors selected a 6-foot-8 forward with unlimited upside and potential, as well as a work ethic to speed along the process. Because Anunoby suffered a season-ending ACL tear in January of this year, he was unable to go through the normal pre-draft workouts, focusing his time on meetings with interested teams rather than getting to show off his skills. The Raptors organization and Anunoby both believe the injury resulted in him sliding down draft boards around the league, with Anunoby saying he believed he could have been a top five pick had he not been injured. Getting selected to the right team and situation is more important than where a player is drafted and prior to hearing his name on Thursday night, Anunoby said he felt good about the Raptors.

“I think it’s unbelievably critical that [Anunoby] connects with the front office and the people in the organization,” Chuck Martin, an assistant coach at Indiana during Anunoby’s two seasons there, said. “One of the biggest differences between college and the NBA, for the most part, there are some exceptions, but in college, the athlete chooses where he wants to go. We try to recruit him, we try to convince him, but ultimately he chooses where he wants to go. In the NBA, you’re chosen. You don't really have much of an option. If this team picks you, it’s kind of where you’re going to go. It’s always a great feeling knowing when that team choses you that you felt great about them prior to the selection, which he did.”

“When he came back from his visits he stopped by my house in Indiana and he was really excited about the meeting with the Raptors,” Martin continued. “He felt really good about those guys.”

When Anunoby heard his name called on draft night, he was calm, cool and collected, managing to keep his emotions in check. That measured reaction wasn’t dissimilar to his reaction after completing highlight-reel worthy plays on the court. After a thrilling block or a thunderous dunk, Anunoby can be seen sprinting back down the court on defence rather than taking time to celebrate the moment. 

“He’s from the “Show-me” state,” former Indiana associate head coach Tim Buckley said. “He would rather let his play do the talking than all the other stuff.”

Anunoby was born in London, U.K., and raised in the United States where he fell in love with basketball despite his father’s passion for soccer. He attended Jefferson City High School in Missouri where he averaged 19.1 points and 8.6 rebounds per game as a senior. Despite this, he came to Indiana an under-the-radar college player, averaging 13.7 minutes per game in his freshman season, but made headlines in the NCAA Tournament in 2016 when he used his defence to help the Hoosiers upset the Kentucky Wildcats in the second round. That defence is the first thing that stands out about Anunoby at this point in his career. A 19-year-old who can guard positions 1-through-5 on the floor generally isn’t available with the 23rd pick. The season-ending ACL injury Anunoby sustained may have prevented him from finishing out his season in Indiana, but it didn’t keep him out of the gym.

“OG was in the middle of things,” Buckley said. “Coaching and talking, he really did it. Initially Coach [Crean] made him do it and then it just became a part of what he was doing. I think that will help his growth in that regard.

“In the locker room and amongst his teammates he was very well-connected to them. He was good at poking at them and really good at poking at himself as far as he can laugh at himself. He doesn’t take himself too seriously.”

How does a player who was left off an AAU tournament brochure become the 23rd pick in the NBA Draft just a few short years later?

Anunoby had an up-close example of what it takes to be a professional athlete. His older brother, Chigbo, played in the NFL, providing Anunoby an opportunity to see the work ethic needed to make it to the pros firsthand. After a quiet freshman year, Anunoby’s role was expanded in his sophomore season prior to injury. Playing 25.1 minutes per game, Anunoby averaged 11.1 points and 5.1 rebounds while recording at least one block or one steal in all 16 of his games played.

“When he first started here [at Indiana] it wasn’t necessarily going well for him [in his freshman season,] Martin said. “He wasn’t playing a lot. He had that moment where it was the second game in [the Maui Invitational] where he came out of his shell and he finally started to understand what it was going to take, not only for him to play, but for our team to win. From that point forward he really started to make strides. I think today guys don't get an opportunity to struggle through some things to help them have success. He was willing to stay disciplined and listen to his coaches and follow that process that he was on to become a quality player for us and obviously he became a quality player in college basketball.”

Though Anunoby has just started to scratch the surface of his abilities, he’s already learned to enjoy each first as it comes. This part of his personality — along with the sense of humour that shows up when he is comfortable with you — had both Buckley and Martin raving about coaching him.

“I think he’s refreshing,” Martin said. “And I mean this as a compliment; I think every time he does something amazing it’s for the first time. He’s never done it before so in so many ways he’s surprised that he did it so he just runs back. He’s not used to doing it and that’s refreshing because his upside and his potential is through the roof. He’s just a unique guy that way and he’s got the personality, as people get to know him a little bit better, to really gravitate towards him. He’s got a big smile. He’s really, really intelligent and he’s really, really funny.”

“I think that’s the irony of OG, and I think he likes it that way, the fact that some of that stuff is hidden and it takes time for you to peel back the layers,” Martin continued. “I think he kind of likes the fact that this is a relationship and it’s going to take time, but if you kind of hang in there with him, at the end of the day, it’s going to be a big prize.”

get-to-know-og-anunoby

Get To Know OG Anunoby

The Toronto Raptors will select 23rd in the 2017 NBA Draft on Thursday night. It's easy to say that DeMar DeRozan's selection at ninth overall in the 2009 Draft is the moment that sticks out most in Toronto's recent draft history, but there have been plenty of enjoyable moments along the way to the team the Raptors have assembled. Player moment is part of professional sports. Still, each of the players drafted by the Raptors — including those who are no longer with the team — are a piece of the puzzle leading to the roster the team has built today.

Below, a look back at some of Toronto's recent draft night moments:

1 - With the ninth pick in the 2009 draft, the Raptors selected DeMar DeRozan out of USC. A freshman, DeRozan was considered one of the prospects with the highest upside in his draft class. Eight years later, DeRozan is the longest-tenured player on Toronto's roster, spending much of this past season breaking franchise records and getting his name to the top of the record books.

Shortly after the pick was announced, DeRozan took to twitter to address the Raptors fanbase:

It took just two days for DeRozan to begin understanding the support of Raptors fans:

Here, a longer look back at the 24 hours following the draft for DeRozan as he came to Toronto as a Raptors player for the first time:

2 - In 2010, the Raptors found themselves on the clock with a prospect available that they had expected to be off the draft boards. Despite not coming to Toronto for a pre-draft workout, Toronto selected Ed Davis with the 13th overall pick. When he was drafted Davis didn't have a passport.

Here's the moment where Davis was selected:

3 - The 2011 draft saw Toronto selecting Jonas Valanciunas with the fifth overall pick. Because Valanciunas was under contact in Lithuania, he didn't join the Raptors until the 2011-2012 NBA season where he joined fellow rookies Terrence Ross and Quincy Acy in getting adjusted to the NBA game:

4 - The Raptors drafted two players in the 2012 draft: Terrence Ross with the eighth overall pick, and Quincy Acy with the 37th overall pick. Ross, drafted out of Washington, was selected higher in the lottery than many had projected. He spent his first four-and-a-half seasons with Toronto being being traded to Orlando earlier this season in exchange for Serge Ibaka. Acy, a four-year senior from Baylor, spent just a season and a half with the Raptors before being sent to the Kings in a three-team trade that brought Rudy Gay to the Raptors, but made a mark with his hustle and passion. The duo joined Jonas Valanciunas to as a rookie trio in the 2012-13 season.

Acy, a second-round pick, was in the crowd with his family when the selection was made:

An interview with Ross following his selection captured the emotion not only for Ross, but for his family as well:

5 - After going without a pick in 2013 as a result of the trade that sent Kyle Lowry to Toronto, the Raptors were back on the board in 2014 with the 20th pick. The team shocked everyone when they selected little known forward Bruno Caboclo from Brazil because of a tremendous amount of upside. Though Caboclo did not attend the draft, he has one of the best draft night stories, finding out he had been selected while in the backseat of a New York City cab as his agent scrolled through Twitter:

6 - The 2015 Draft was a win for seniors. In the first round, Toronto selected Delon Wright, a senior point guard out of Utah. After a draft night trade that sent Greivis Vasquez to the Milwaukee Bucks, the Bucks selected four-year senior Norman Powell out of UCLA with the 46th pick for Toronto.

Rather than being in New York for the draft, Wright attended a party hosted by his family, including his older brother, former NBAer Dorell Wright:

Dorell's former teammate, Dwyane Wade tweeted and posted a photo of Delon from draft night and Gabrielle Union tweeted shortly before he was picked.

Like Wright, Powell spent the night with his family. Heading into the draft, Powell worked out for the Raptors and impressed everyone in attendance. He spoke with the media about his pre-draft experience following the workout where he made his mark on the Raptors front office and coaching staff:

Following Toronto's selection, Powell quickly took to Twitter to express his happiness over his dream coming true:

7 - In 2016, Toronto drafted a pair of rookies with both upside and the ability to contribute almost immediately. With their lottery pick, the team selected Jakob Poeltl ninth overall, making him the first Austrian player to be selected in the draft. Poeltl was drafted out of Utah, where he was a sophomore, and had played with Wright before the team selected Wright a year earlier.

With the team's second pick, also in the first round at 27th overall, the team selected Pascal Siakam out of New Mexico State where he was a 22-year-old sophomore:

Siakam opened the season starting for the Raptors after Jared Sullinger underwent offseason surgery before eventually moving back to the bench. Both he and Poeltl worked their way into the rotation at various times of the season, a testament to both their work ethic and coach ability.

Siakam's tweet following the selection was short and sweet:

With the 20th pick in this year's draft, what the Raptors do will be largely dependent upon what happens before it's their time to pick Masai Ujiri spoke with Toronto media on Tuesday morning, saying that the team will concentrate on finding the best possible player available at 23 when the Raptors make their selection. The most exciting part of draft night is that no one knows who that will be until the team is on the clock.