Gradey Dick has finally found his stride.
It hadn’t been the kind of start that the 20-year-old first-round pick would have preferred. He struggled to find his footing with the Toronto Raptors, and his first few games in the G League were also underwhelming. However, the 6-foot-6 sharpshooter appears to have found his stride.
Dick led the 905 with 23 points on Wednesday, making three of his seven three-point attempts and shooting 7-for-15 from the field.
“He played well,” said Raptors coach Darko Rajakovi. “He just keeps getting that rhythm going.” Unfortunately, our 905 team is unable to rest due to injuries. He did, however, perform admirably.
” Several years ago, a lottery pick playing G League minutes would have been considered a failure. It was unusual to see a player drafted as high as No. 13 assigned to the G League. However, the Raptors have created a culture in which almost everyone is sent down. Rajakovi described it as “just another step in the development process.”
“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,” he said. “That is my top priority right now.” Those minutes were extremely valuable to him. He’s having a good time over there with the team. So having him on assignment is fantastic.”
There is no timetable for Dick’s return to Toronto, but the more of these games he can string together, the better. In his last two games, he’s shot 7-for-14 from three-point range and 48% from the field.
“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 you’re taking advantage of those opportunities, that you’re improving your shot balance, defense, rebounding, and everything else.” So he’s doing a fantastic job.”
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