A 2023 NBA Draft prospect turned many heads with his colorful outfit on Thursday night in New York. Gradey Dick is also quite the basketball player who should soon become a crowd favorite in Toronto.
The Raptors had the chance to select the Jayhawks product from the University of Kansas with the 13e speaking turn. This one was listed in the top 10 by several experts, but it slipped a few ranks.
It’s not the Queen City team who will complain, they who got their hands on the best eligible shooter this year. Dick had 83 throws (40.3%) from downtown in 2022-23, earning him second place in the Big 12 conference.
“He’s not just a shooter. I think he can also play without the ball, General Manager Bobby Webster told Sportsnet. He can pass well, he gets rebounds well, so I think he’s a lot more complete than people think, although he’ll be seen as a shooter first. I think it was more appealing that he could do all the other things too.”
“My biggest goal is to have an impact quickly,” the confident 19-year-old admitted at a press conference. I want to come to Toronto and show them the quality of my shots, the thing I’m most proud of.”
He will certainly be able to help the Raptors in this aspect of the game since they finished 19e last year and 28e the previous year for three-point field goal percentage.
A star attitude
Confidence, it also took to wear a sparkling red suit which caused a lot of reaction. An extrovert, Gradey Dick does not intend to change for anyone.
“I’m never going to attempt anything trying to be someone I’m not, like coming out of the tunnel with no expression and trying to be too cool for nothing. I will never be like that and I will never lose that either. That’s how I have the most fun in life, when I play basketball and I can show my emotions,” said the man who trained in Toronto last week.
It will be necessary to expect change in this team now led by Darko Rajakovic. Dick would have made a good impression on the new head coach, and Webster was charmed by the guard’s intelligence and size (6’8”).
“I want to come into this organization and accept the role that the coach will give me, that suits me perfectly,” Dick said. It’s just basketball in the end. I just like being on the floor.”
Next up for the Raptors will be the free agent market, which kicks off in a week. The Toronto club will have a few decisions to make, especially on the side of Fred VanVleet and Jakob Pöltl, who will be free as air.