Gradey Dick says Raptors move is the ‘jackpot’

Gradey Dick moved his dad to tears on Monday.

TORONTO – Gradey Dick moved his dad to tears on Monday.

The newest Toronto Raptors sharpshooter, chosen 13th overall in the NBA Draft last Thursday, visited his new basketball home over the weekend and was grilled by reporters after a morning workout with head coach Darko Rajaković at the team’s practice facility.

The 19-year-old Dick was asked if he’s had much contact with Raptors guard Fred VanVleet, who played collegiately in Dick’s hometown for the Wichita State Shockers.

He said he first met VanVleet as a youngster while working at the school’s summer camp. He added the last piece of memorabilia he would glance at as he left his bedroom was a poster-sized blow-up of a newspaper story on VanVleet with the headline “Undrafted” — a gift from his father.

The story had struck a chord with Dick’s dad, who wanted his son to gain motivation from VanVleet’s basketball journey.

“He’s getting a little emotional,” the 19-year-old Dick said with a smile as he pointed to his father, Bart.

Dick left little doubt about how important family is to him. The confident six-foot-eight, 205-pound teenager credits Bart for his on-court demeanour, the importance of body language and other tricks of the trade.

But Dick also sings the praises of his six-foot-three mother, Carmen, for his shooting ability. She was Iowa State’s 1989 female athlete of the year and still holds school records for the second-best career shooting percentage and most free throws made in a game.