PROSPECTS ACTUALLY LIKE TORONTO
Gone are the days – thankfully – when NBA players moaned and groaned about television options, Toronto’s weather or the metric system.
Nowadays, just about everybody would be quite happy to be a Raptor.
About 24 hours away from draft night, several college stars who have been linked to the club all professed excitement about potentially joining the fold.
“It’s a beautiful city, they love their team there, the crowd comes out,” said Duke guard Austin Rivers. “I think I can fit in with that program the way they like to get up and down, but also, with Coach Casey, they like to play defence. That’s something I want to learn and get better at. It’s something I want to do next year.”
Syracuse guard Dion Waiters knows Toronto scout Alvin Williams — they are both from Philadelphia — and knows a bit about the franchise.
“It’s a great organization (that) is on the rise, they just need a couple of key pieces. Hopefully, if I end up there I think it would be a great fit,” Waiters said.
Weber State point guard Damian Lillard and North Carolina forward Harrison Barnes both were positive as well.
John Henson, knows Toronto is loaded at his position, but that hasn’t dissuaded him.
“They do have a lot of (power forwards), but I think, as an NBA team, you can’t just skip over somebody because of what they have, especially if they’re a good player,” Henson said.
Ed Davis has talked up both Henson and Barnes, showing solidarity with his fellow Tar Heels.
What would battling with Davis again be like?
“It would be like freshman year,” Henson said. “I was a freshman, he was a sophomore, we were competing every day. Obviously, he got the best of me, me being a youngster, It would be good having somebody you know up there.”
http://www.torontosun.com/2012/06/27...rs-staying-mum
Gone are the days – thankfully – when NBA players moaned and groaned about television options, Toronto’s weather or the metric system.
Nowadays, just about everybody would be quite happy to be a Raptor.
About 24 hours away from draft night, several college stars who have been linked to the club all professed excitement about potentially joining the fold.
“It’s a beautiful city, they love their team there, the crowd comes out,” said Duke guard Austin Rivers. “I think I can fit in with that program the way they like to get up and down, but also, with Coach Casey, they like to play defence. That’s something I want to learn and get better at. It’s something I want to do next year.”
Syracuse guard Dion Waiters knows Toronto scout Alvin Williams — they are both from Philadelphia — and knows a bit about the franchise.
“It’s a great organization (that) is on the rise, they just need a couple of key pieces. Hopefully, if I end up there I think it would be a great fit,” Waiters said.
Weber State point guard Damian Lillard and North Carolina forward Harrison Barnes both were positive as well.
John Henson, knows Toronto is loaded at his position, but that hasn’t dissuaded him.
“They do have a lot of (power forwards), but I think, as an NBA team, you can’t just skip over somebody because of what they have, especially if they’re a good player,” Henson said.
Ed Davis has talked up both Henson and Barnes, showing solidarity with his fellow Tar Heels.
What would battling with Davis again be like?
“It would be like freshman year,” Henson said. “I was a freshman, he was a sophomore, we were competing every day. Obviously, he got the best of me, me being a youngster, It would be good having somebody you know up there.”
http://www.torontosun.com/2012/06/27...rs-staying-mum
I think the rising young Canadian talent (Wiggins, Lyles, Kabongo to name a few) is changing perceptions among the youth destined for the NBA community.
Among current NBA players, I think the stigma is still real - and when it comes to a chance to win it is worthy. Hopefully in another 4-5 years time the Toronto stigma will be a thing of the forgotten past.
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