Raptors rookie improved his fitness over season
Global News
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 advice that his parents gave kept him focused and motivated.
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 advice that his parents gave kept him focused and motivated.
Dick was selected 13th overall out by Toronto in last summer’s NBA draft out and was expected to split time between the Raptors and Raptors 905, their G-League affiliate. He struggled mightily through 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 struggle, your story is not going to be worth being told 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 that I’ve been playing since I was a little and getting comfortable out there taught me a lot about myself.”
The teenager averaged five points, 2.3 rebounds and 0.5 assists on 14.3 minutes per game of play in October, and floundered even more in November, averaging 3.5 points, 1.2 rebounds and 1.2 assists on 14.8 minutes per game in the month where he turned 20.
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.
That trend continued into January where he only managed 5.4 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists on 17.3 minutes per game in seven games.
But at the start of 2024 Rajakovic told media that Dick had been put on a special workout plan with Raptors strength and conditioning coach Jon Lee to improve his stamina and keep up with the NBA’s pace.
“I feel great, I’m ready to play 82 more,” joked Dick at his end-of-season conference.
