Raptors Coach Shares Thoughts on Gradey Dick Following Another Stellar 905 Performance
Gradey Dick is finally finding his rhythm. It hadn’t been the kind of start anyone would have wanted for the 20-year-old first-round pick. He struggled to find his footing with the Toronto Raptors and his first couple of games in the G League weren’t particularly impressive either. But now the 6-foot-6 sharpshooter appears to have found his footing. Dick led the 905 with 23 points on Wednesday, nailing three of his seven three-pointers to go with 7-for-15 shooting from the field. “He played well,” Raptors coach Darko Rajaković said. “He just continues getting that rhythm there. Unfortunately, our 905 team cannot catch a break with injuries there. But he did well.” Years
ago, a lottery pick playing G League minutes would have been seen as some sort of failure. It was rare for a player taken as high as No. 13 to be assigned to the G League. But the Raptors have built a culture in which almost everyone gets sent down. It’s just a step in the development process, Rajaković said. “My priority right now is for him finding that rhythm, playing heavy minutes, helping the team over there, getting a swag, getting confidence in playing,” Rajaković added. “That’s this absolute priority right now. Those minutes, they (have) value a lot for him. He’s enjoying (being) over there, being with the team. So it’s great for him to be on assignment.”
There’s no timeline for when Dick will be back with Toronto, but the more of these games he can string together the better. He’s now 7-for-14 from three-point range over his past two games while shooting 48% from the floor. “I told Gradey, you’re supposed to play in the NBA for the next 15 years, so let’s not skip any steps,” Rajaković said. “Let’s make sure that you’re taking advantage of those opportunities, that you’re improving your balance on the shot and your defense and rebounding and all of that. So he’s doing a great job.”
