To say it’s been a whirlwind few weeks for Dwight Buycks would be an understatement. At the start of July, he was just another unsigned NBA Summer League attendee – a 24-year-old point guard out Marquette by way of France making his way down to Orlando with nothing but a Thunder team invite.
Now, he’s a signed NBA player, the summer league’s breakout point guard, and one of the newest Toronto Raptors. What a difference a month makes.
Luckily for the Republic, Dwight’s newfound fame and workload didn’t stop him from responding to the Tweets (side note: follow Dwight on Twitter here), and then e-mails, of a near-anonymous Raptor blogger (hi!). And thus, I am proud to present an exclusive e-mail interview with Raptors backup point guard, French ProA league MVP, and Republic favourite Dwight Buycks.
Oh wait, you say? You want a highlight video to get you excited? OK, well I guess I can oblige:
Now that you’re sufficiently pumped that Masai has found a gem amidst the typical summer league fodder, read on. My questions are in bold, and Dwight’s answers follow:
GH: You took the long road to the NBA – first playing in the D-League, and then overseas in France. How does it feel to finally sign your first NBA contract?
DB: It feels great to finally sign a contract. It’s a dream come true, and for me, it just shows the hard work I put in non-stop until I got to the point in my life where I can say that I finally got a contract.
GH: It must have been difficult to keep pushing for the NBA after a few unsuccessful attempts at securing a contract. How did you manage to stay focused? Was there ever a time where you considered giving up on the NBA?
DB: It was a different route for me. My main thing was just to keep pushing – and staying around positive people. I just wanted to always keep working and working on my game, so that when the chance presented itself to me again, I’m ready and not unprepared.
GH: How have your first impressions of Toronto, and the Raptors organization, been?
DB: It’s been great. The coaches, players, and fans have all welcomed me like no other. It’s definitely a humbling feeling for me and I appreciate it. Everyone seems excited and that’s good, and motivation for me to keep working.
GH: A poll on the Republic right now has our readers preferring you as the backup point. Have you spoken to Coach Casey about your role on the Raptors? How do you think you fit in?
DB: My main thing is to work my butt off from day one and compete every single day to give myself a chance – and we will see what happens.
GH: You’ve obviously been working very hard on your game over the past couple years – your impressive performances in summer league confirm that. What kind of player can Raptor fans expect when Dwight Buycks steps onto the court?
DB: Expect a player that’s going to work hard on both ends of the court. A guy who’s going to always give 110%.
GH: Now that summer league is over and training camp is a ways away, what are your plans for the next couple months?
DB: I will be working out back home with my trainer. Making sure I’m working constantly.
DB: Thanks to all the fans that’s supporting me and my drive. I will be ready to go, and giving my all when my number is called!
