TORONTO — Most Torontonians hate downtown visitors, however its gradual tempo gave AJ Lawson an opportunity to soak in the truth that he is now a member of his hometown Raptors.
TORONTO — Most Torontonians hate downtown visitors, however its gradual tempo gave AJ Lawson an opportunity to soak in the truth that he is now a member of his hometown Raptors.
Lawson signed a two-way contract with Toronto and its G-League affiliate Raptors 905 final Wednesday. He mentioned it did not sink in, although, till he slowly walked towards the OVO Athletic Middle, the Raptors’ observe facility, for morning shootarounds.
“I believe it is most likely going to hit me once more after I line up for ‘O Canada’ and the nationwide anthems,” Lawson mentioned Monday earlier than Toronto’s 122-121 loss to the Chicago Bulls. “I’m undoubtedly going to have my second there once more, that’s for positive.
“I’ve to ensure my head is stage and I’ve good focus for the match.”
Lawson lined up for the nationwide anthems alongside his childhood pal RJ Barrett. Each grew up in close by Mississauga, Ontario, and performed basketball collectively in center and highschool.
Their paths to the NBA, nonetheless, had been very totally different.
Barrett was chosen third total by the New York Knicks within the 2019 NBA Draft, making his skilled debut the next season.
Lawson went undrafted earlier than becoming a member of the Faculty Park Skyhawks, the minor league membership of the Atlanta Hawks, in 2022. He then performed one season with the Guelph Nighthawks of the Canadian Elite Basketball League this summer- there, a choice that he believes put him on the trail to the NBA as a result of it put him in form to hitch the Dallas Mavericks summer time league group.
“I used to be prepared from the beginning, and that’s how I obtained my first two-way contract after that,” Lawson mentioned within the Raptors locker room. “I really feel just like the CEBL was an awesome stepping stone for me, it helped me acquire confidence, get me in form and saved me targeted and able to go.”
Lawson has profession averages of three.4 factors, 1.2 rebounds and seven.4 minutes in 57 profession NBA video games with Dallas and the Minnesota Timberwolves over the previous two seasons.
Throughout that span, he additionally averaged 21.1 factors, 6.6 rebounds and 34.1 minutes in seven video games with the Texas Legends in the course of the 2023-24 G League season and 20 factors, 7, 4 rebounds and 31.9 minutes in 22 video games with the Legends, Iowa Wolves and Faculty. Park within the 2022-23 marketing campaign.
The six-foot-six, 185-pound guard averaged 24 factors, 6.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 35.1 minutes in 11 video games (all begins) this season with the Lengthy Island Nets, the G affiliate League of Brooklyn Nets, earlier than signing. with the Toronto group.
“We’re very excited to have him on our group,” Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic mentioned. “I additionally had the chance to talk with him this morning. He is very, very excited, it is clearly a dream come true for him to play for the Raptors.
“We’re excited to study extra about him, his recreation and assist him on his path.”
Lawson is set to assist in any manner he can, particularly as Toronto continues to battle with accidents to key gamers comparable to star Scottie Barnes, level guard Immanuel Quickley and middle Jakob Poeltl.
“My aim is simply to remain prepared at any time when they name me, right this moment or the subsequent recreation or anytime,” Lawson mentioned. “I simply need to keep prepared and present that I am an NBA participant, that I can defend at a excessive stage, shoot the ball at a excessive stage.
“Simply proceed to be myself, play in transition and be a very good man, an power man, a utility man.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed Dec. 16, 2024.
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John Chidley-Hill, The Canadian Press
