The Mike James year.
3. Morris Peterson, 15.8 pts, 4.4 reb, 2.2 ast, 1.2 stl
Firmly installed as a starter Mo Pete became a crowd favorite, a poor man’s Robin to a poor man’s Batman’s Robin. It is worthy to note that never in the Bosh era did we ever consider Mo Pete as a second or third option on the team, yet here he is nailing the Top 3 consistently. That probably speaks to the disappointments that our free agents and draft picks were during this depressing time period..
2. Mike James, 19.7 pts, 3.2 reb, 5.7 ast
The Raptors were 29th out of 30 teams in defense and it showed because we had guys like Mike James who couldn’t be bothered to run back on more than a casual jogging pace. And if there were players who could be bothered run, they certainly didn’t know how to play defense.
Back to James, the man didn’t see a shot he didn’t like and was playing for a summer contract on a team going nowhere. I can’t blame him. Here’s an interview he gave over text.
“Its hard when u r misunderstood and everybody thinks u r unstable.
“I have 2 kids, my wife is pregnant now and I love my family, but I’m unstable.
“I’ve been married in a time when the marriage failure rate is well above half and I have been happily married for almost 8 yrs but I’m unstable.
“My daughter is 3 and knows how 2 have a conversation with u and is speaking proper english, but I’m unstable.
“I’m not going 2 sell myself anymore. I’m too busy preparing for next year, I’m in the boxin ring and I’m startin 2 c results already.
“My left was terrible in the beginning but now its getting stronger. I’m startin 2 give my left hand more responsibilities, brushing my teeth, wipin myself, all in the effort 2 b a better ball player.
“Boxin is a hobby, bball pays my bills and is my 1st love. I don’t want 2 fight I want 2 use the trainin 2 help me b a better ball player.
“B4 this season I wrote as a goal what I wanted 2 do this season. I wanted 2 avg 18 and 6ast and make the playoffs. 1 goal I accomplished the other I did not, so there is work to be done.
“I guess why I am so uptight is bcause people r like relax mike u made it u r in the fraternity u don’t have 2 bang on the door no more, u r in.
“I’m sayin I’m not happy until I am the best pointguard I know God has created me 2 b.
“All I do is play 2 win I just want 2 win and play basketball, doing something that has kept me all my life. If it wasn’t 4 this game, I had nothing else just a ball. It kept me from streets that were tuggin on me when I was a youth.
“I didn’t ask 4 the lifestyle I was pushed into as a kid the lifestyle chose me.
“So all I’m sayin is the way I can say thank u 2 the game that saved my life from bein a menace 2 society is play like every game is my last and fight on that court, But I’m unstable on and off the court. I’m my families superstar if I never get what I’m tryin 2 get from this game, when my family sees me, wife and kids they c a superstar in a non basketball sense. I don’t need 2 convince no 1 else and I’m not gonna try.
“I’m my families superstar.
“Toronto I believe we have a chance 2 do somethin great, but its hard every time I c some1s quote sayin somethin negative about me. At times I am made to feel like anything is better than me, and that hurts. We were a laughin stock in the beginning of the year they said wer the 2nd best team in the euroleague.
“We at least gained our respectibility back in the league xceeded all the xpectations of every1 in terms of our effort level and heart, now that has to translate into wins.
“But I’m unstable all I’m doing is workin hard everyday and preparation is key, I xpect the best and prepare 4 the worst, but most importantly this unstable guy prepared.”
1. Chris Bosh, 20.6 pts, 8.5 reb, 2.4 ast, 1 blk
This was a formative year for Bosh as he started to see double teams more consistently, started to read defenses better and began the journey of finding a place in the game. At the same time you could see where his weaknesses were as a #1 option and his ceiling started to appear. It was now time to watch Bryan Colangelo try to build a team around a guy who probably knew nobody should be building a team around him.
