Raptors Discuss Gradey Dick’s Growth and Outstanding Outcomes
After more than a month of truly significant play for the Toronto Raptors, the sample size that the 20-year-old rookie can stick with at the NBA level only gets bigger.
Dick, who was virtually unplayable at the beginning of the season, has had an incredible season. Following his initial inclusion in the Toronto rotation, the No. 13 pick was benched for two weeks by the Raptors due to his lackluster performance in the G League.
But he’s returned as a completely different player since then.
With a 46.8% three-point shooting percentage over his last 16 games, he’s scoring almost 10 points on average in little over 20 minutes per game. In addition to shooting 51% from beyond the arc this season, Dick is demonstrating that he possesses the kind of off-ball ability that can cause difficulties for opposing defenders.
Dick scored eighteen points on Monday, for instance.
When Jarace Walker was too quick to assist out of the corner, he opened the night with a backdoor cut behind the Pacers rookie. In transition, he filled the right corner flawlessly for a catch-and-shoot three. He dove under Scottie Barnes’ off-ball screen in the third and outran Ben Sheppard’s too aggressive closeout.
Speaking to reporters about his off-ball movement, Dick said, “If you’re outside shooting and you knock down a couple, they’re going to step up, and that gives you more room to kind of utilize that and kind of play how the defense is playing you.” “You could have an opportunity to go backdoor if they step out too much.”
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After the game, Raptors coach Darko Rajakoviฤ told reporters, “His confidence is not coming from anything else but extreme hard work.” “For him, this is only the start. He will play well and poorly, but in order to grow, learn, and gain experience, he must continue to be in those situations.
Despite the debate surrounding Dick’s versatility, his shooting prowess should benefit both him and the Raptors’ offense as a whole. It should only present additional opportunities for Dick and Toronto going forward if rival teams are overly aggressive on closeouts or unwilling to help him out of fear that he’ll make them pay.