The NBA Draft is a gateway to fresh starts and unrealized potential in the realm of sports in the US. Sharpshooter Gradey Dick was chosen by the Toronto Raptors on June 22 as the 13th overall choice in the NBA draft. The Kansas product displayed his personality and ambition shortly after learning he had won the NBA lottery when he said he wanted to see Hip-Hop superstar Drake wearing his jersey.
One of the top shooters in his draft category, Gradey joins the National Basketball Association. The 19-year-old Kansas State player averaged 5.1 rebounds, 14.1 points, and 1.7 assists per game while playing 36 games and shooting 40.3% from 3-point range and 44.2% from the field.
Gradey Dick wants to make Drake wear his jersey
The Toronto Raptors are currently torn between rebuilding and retooling their squad. No matter which course the front management decides to take the team in, adding a perimeter scorer like Gradey Dick could guarantee their draft pick has an impact.
Finding a guy who can spread the floor and develop into an offensive threat without the ball was crucial because the roster already included Scottie Barnes, O.G. Anunoby, and Pascal Siakam.
When seeking to double team or trap on pick-and-roll coverages, defenders are unlikely to leave such a dependable shooter uncovered, so Dick’s presence on the court will ensure that defenses are stretched around the perimeter. Even with NBA fans watching from all over the world on one of the biggest nights of his life, he seemed too excited to control his exuberance.
Gradey Dick looking to make friends in Toronto already 😂 pic.twitter.com/iX68y6NFeX
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 23, 2023
The 19-year-old Dick knew precisely what that meant—a life that might involve Drake—when he was taken by the Raptors with the No. 13 overall pick. He couldn’t suppress his joy. According to Alex Kennedy of Hoops News, Dick was eager to visit Toronto so that he could see Drake and begin working towards his ambition of seeing the well-known singer, rapper, and songwriter wear his jersey.
The new Raptors guard indeed may have had one of his best nights personally in addition to one of his best professional nights. In a team-posted video, Dick demonstrated how he received Drake’s Instagram follow-back.
Raptors’ signed Gradey Dick with 13th pick in NBA Draft 2023
When the No. 13 choice came up on Thursday night, Toronto selected Kansas’ Gradey Dick, who is regarded as the top shooter in the class of 2023, to address its most pressing need. “I think the biggest thing that I can really provide and my biggest goal coming into this is making an instant impact early,” following the first round of the draft, Dick stated via Zoom.
“Bring that shooting ability, the thing I take pride in the most,” he added. Toronto had the third-worst three-point percentage in the league at the end of last season. It made half-court scoring difficult. The Raptors’ offense seemingly collapsed if Fred VanVleet, O.G. Anunoby, and Gary Trent Jr. weren’t healthy or shooting. Dick offers something unique that isn’t offered by practically anyone else on the roster.
He is a 6-foot-8 sharp-shooter who, in his lone season with the Jayhawks, hit 40.3% of his three-point attempts while averaging 14.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.7 assists. In contrast to many of Toronto’s recent draft picks, who have tended to be more focused on the defensive end, Gradey Dick is an offensive-first talent.
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