Achi news desk-
TORONTO – Gradey Dick’s rookie season got off to a rough start as he struggled to put up numbers in his limited time with the Toronto Raptors. But his parents’ advice kept him focused and motivated.
Dick was selected 13th overall by Toronto in last summer’s NBA draft and was expected to split time between the Raptors and Raptors 905, their G-League affiliate. He struggled hard during the first four months as a professional basketball player, but he kept reminding himself of what his parents Bart and Carmen Dick told him.
“Without a fight, your story isn’t going to be worth telling and if you can’t fight through that and be resilient, then what makes it a good story?” said Dick after the Raptors cleaned out their lockers. “I feel like going through that and being resilient and just trying to play the game I’ve been playing since I was little and being comfortable out there has taught me a lot about myself .”
The teenager averaged five points, 2.3 rebounds and 0.5 assists in 14.3 minutes per game played in October, and he dropped even more in November, averaging 3.5 points, 1.2 rebounds and 1.2 assists on 14.8 minutes per game in the month he turned 20.
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He spent more time in the G League in December and Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic limited his playing time over four NBA games, with Dick averaging 3.5 minutes, two points and no assists or rebounds.
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That trend continued into January where he managed to gain only 5.4 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 17.3 minutes per game in seven games.
But at the start of 2024 Rajakovic told the media that Dick had been put on a special training plan with Raptors strength and conditioning coach Jon Lee to improve his stamina and keep up with the speed of the NBA.
“I feel great, I’m ready to play 82 more,” joked Dick at his end of season conference.
Dick’s improved stamina began to pay off on the court. In February his minutes climbed to 20.3 per game with 11 points, 2.5 rebounds and 0.9 assists. He was able to eat up more minutes as most of Toronto’s starters were unavailable in March and April.
He had 11.7 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.7 assists over 30.5 minutes in March and 14.1 points, 3.7 rebounds and 0.1 assists in 30 minutes per game in April.
“If I have the energy to keep going up and down maybe some guys will tire out and maybe take a possession here and there,” Dick said of his improved fitness. “I can really take advantage of that with different cuts and things around the basket.”
That energy was evident in his ability to make cuts on offensive possessions, something star forward Scottie Barnes said helped the entire Raptors team.
“He cuts that well off the ball inspires us all to cut well off the ball as well,” Barnes said. “I try to cut hard and finish my cuts, Gary Trent Jr. breaks a lot, but I think we’re all trying to get to that level that (Dick) breaks.
“But he does so many things well, but we all have to improve on different things. It’s only his first year and he’s going to come back and be better.”
including the slow start to the season and his marked improvement after the conditioning period, Dick averaged 8.5 points, 2.2 rebounds, 1.1 assists, over 21.1 minutes per game in his rookie campaign. Rajakovic said he expects more as Dick continues to fill out.
“At the start of the season I said he looked 16 and then he looked like 16 1/2. Now he looks like 17,” Rajakovic laughed. “There’s a natural thing that’s going to happen with getting older. I think his body is going to fill out.
“There is a lot of work to be done for him to get stronger and be more physical on the defensive side as well. I think that’s the No. 1 thing for him (this offseason).”
This report was first published by The Canadian Press on April 18, 2024.
& copy 2024 The Canadian Press
