The read-and-react offense is basketball's version of a choose-your-own adventure book. If you want to spend time in the corner and hang out, you can skip to page nine and chill, tossing in some jumpers and vibes. If you want to control the room like your cousin at the party hogging the Spotify account, you can do that too. The Toronto Raptors have an offensive hierarchy, sure. But it's liable to change on any given possession, let alone any given night.
Much ado was made this past offseason about O.G. Anunoby's role with the Raptors. Perhaps it was about something, perhaps nothing. But in many ways, his role is his choice with Toronto. He was fourth last season among the starters in shot attempts per game, but he could have shot more had he hunted attempts. One of his pet plays last season was jetting up from the corner to curl around a wide pindown -- the same set that earned Norman Powell so many points with the Raptors. But Anunoby often cut slowly, looping his cuts, and not looking to curl tight to attack the rim. He didn't look to catch and fire very often. There was meat left on the bone for Anunoby last season: points and touches that he chose not to chase.
Anunoby ate and then some in Toronto's comeback 108-105 thriller win in its home opener against the impressive Cleveland Cavaliers. But he didn't seize control of the offense and demand touches at the expense of his teammates. He didn't choose the adventure of the traditional star. Instead, as he has been doing his entire career, he found his own way to dominate the game.
