Toronto Raptors rookie Gradey Dick has gone viral on social media following a recent jersey swap. The young guard recently broke his silence on the reasons that led to this decision.
Sunday night, the Raptors faced the Orlando Magic. Swapping jerseys is an upcoming practice, especially between players in the same draft class. However, this scenario was a little different.
After the game, Magic rookie Anthony Black approached Gradey Dick about trading jerseys. The two did so, and their placement and combination of names made the photo go viral on social media.
•
Recently, Dick was asked about the decision to swap jerseys with Black. He said the two were good friends and there was nothing more. Dick also said he is open to doing more jersey swaps in the future.
“That’s my guy,” Dick said. “I played against him or with him in college. He’s been my guy for a long time.”
“If I played with them growing up and they’re my guys, I’ll trade jerseys with them. Nothing more.”
Gradey Dick steadily improves throughout his rookie season with the Toronto Raptors
After being drafted in the lottery by the Toronto Raptors, Gradey Dick didn’t come out strong to start his rookie year. However, as the season comes to a close, he is gaining positive momentum heading into year two.
On the year, Dick is averaging 6.9 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.2 assists. Taking a closer look at the figures, we can see its constant progression throughout the year.
Since the All-Star break, Dick has increased his scoring to 10.7 PPG. February was his best stretch of the season, averaging 11 points per game and shooting an excellent 49% from beyond the arc.
Part of the reason the Raptors drafted Dick was because of his outside shooting. In his lone college season, he shot over 40 percent from beyond the arc on nearly six attempts per game. Standing at 6-foot-6, his combination of size and shooting was too attractive for the Raptors to pass up.
As they prepare for the franchise phase, Toronto is stockpiling young talent. They found their next star in Scottie Barnesand now we have to find pieces that complement it.
Barnes is a giant-sized perimeter player who craves having an offensive center around him. As a player with the ability to attack the rim and facilitate, having shots is crucial for the Raptors. The improvement in Dick’s shooting throughout the season is a big positive in terms of development.
When he’s not setting the internet on fire with his jersey swaps, Gradey Dick is slowly proving why the Raptors were right to take a chance on him.
