Toronto Raptors Summer League Media Availability | July 16, 2024

Toronto Raptors Summer League Media Availability | July 16, 2024

all right um so summer league what was kind of the Roll card that you were given or the expectations for you this time out um really I mean just to to go out there and play our style of basketball um really put a focus on you know how we play and how aggressive we want to be offensively defensively and um really just set the tone um throughout the whole entire summer league so and for yourself in terms of your own development as a player um really I mean just just advancing that level in my game and really being becoming that that guy that uh they rely on you know being a a defensive stoer and a leader on that end and obviously just offensively just playing within our our uh our you know our pace and how we play and I think just just learning learning more through that so how have you found living up to those expectations I feel like I I feel like I really haven’t been so far um but I feel like there’s there’s always you know room for uh room for improvement and uh room for me to go back to the drawing board and uh to see what’s working and what’s not was there a bit of an adjustment for you coming over last season mid-season with the trade coming to join a new team how was that for you it was great I mean uh going from going from Utah to coming to to Toronto I mean similar Styles um offensively but uh I think you know coming here and coming with the uh you know being with being with the team and playing with Darko um I think he brings a different energy uh and and I love that about him right when I first got here so Darko talked about how he wanted you to find more opportunities off ball um how has that been in that in that process of learning the offense it’s been good I mean uh I think like I said we’re just going back to the drawing board um not many not many opportunities I would say in these past two games um but moving forward I think ways I can create that or ways I can get to that or you know ways I can I can get open in those spots so yeah he was also talking about like maybe find a like a little bit of adjustment with your shot with your shot what was that adjustment and sort of like how’s that process been I mean it’s been good I’ve been kind of making some some adjustments here and there since after the season and and it’s been working well um I don’t really know what to really you know equate that to but it’s just uh reps more reps and more reps and shooting the right way yeah opticore MSI speaks really highly of you um it seems like there’s a closeness there what’s your bond with MSI and what’s the connection there um I’ve known Messi for for years now and actually my dad has known him um kind of through the Nigerian basketball Community um and kind of me growing up my my dad has known him obviously so uh he’s been scouting me and I’ve been on his radar for a while so finally being here and getting here last February was special a lot is made of the transition for a big in terms of um I guess toughness contact in the key for yourself how are you finding the transition to the NBA level yeah I mean know it’s definitely more physical and a faster paced game but you know I think I’ve uh put a lot of preparation into it and have um had have had some good coaching coming up to this point so you know I’ve been a little bit prepared for it how do you prepare yourself for NBA level guys I think it’s more of it is more of a mentality um as much as there is physical aspects of the game you know I think a huge part of it is just the mental um and being ready to be hit wanting to be the aggressor a lot of the time um so we were just talking to Jama right and and he said obviously your shot blocking has been kind of you know outstanding you had six blocks the other night was shot blocking always a big part of your game in terms of just like you know finding the right balance between when to go for a shot when to sort of go for a verticality and things like that yeah definitely I think that’s always you know been a part of my game for since you know can I can like since high school or something you know um I mean I was uh one of the main shop blockers on my team throughout College throughout my whole career so you that’s always been something I’ve taken pride in and being able to you know protect the r at a high level um I know in college you played sometimes in like a two big lineup sometimes you seen that a little bit here in summer league is there a position you feel more comfortable between Center or power forward whichever one gets me on the court you know that’s that’s that’s what I’ll play so it doesn’t really matter to me you know I’m great with both I’ve played I’ve played majority five my whole career um just started playing four last year but I’ve really you know taken into that role and accepted it so um take me through your decision to sign with the Raptors um you know obviously draft comes around you know it’s a little bit perhaps disappointing that your name doesn’t get called but immediately obviously you’re in the mix with the NBA with the Raptors what was that decision um Tak me through that I mean I think it was pretty easy there great program you know I loved my my uh uh my workout with them and I think they were one of the teams that was the highest on me well I think that’s one of the most important things with making those decision um uh and you know going undrafted um just taking a team that feels like they love you the most and are the most excited about you so I think it came um pretty easy to me and then obviously on the two-way deal you know you going to spent some time in the G League some the time with the with the main team what were the conversations been like in terms of like what you need to do to get more minutes especially with the main team when it comes around to that uh it just gets bigger and stronger is kind of I think kind of the the main things I’ve talked about so far um so that’s kind of the the main focus for this off and just putting on you know some pounds and um being focusing being in the weight room last one I promise uh you’ve been shooting a lot with a shamsh what do you make of his game so far because you know he’s really young right he’s like so much younger than you for example uh what are you making of his game and sort of how he’s progressed so far yeah I know it’s crazy he’s younger than my my youngest brother so it’s it’s a little different um but no he’s he’s going to be one great player you know I think his game that he has um he’s he has all the intangibles you know and I think he has a great skill set already and so the more and more he continues to be in the gym I think he’s going to be an outstanding player all right jamama first things first uh any health updates on mobo and Grady yeah so two for you so Grady again will be re revaluing more tomorrow ankle sprain we’ll see how he is he was light shooting today so we’ll get our medical staff to take a look and then with Jonathan the same thing still being re evaluated for tomorrow uh back contusion so we’ll just see what they are after tomorrow after good sleep um and I guess that’s really all I got so it’s on you all right we were just talking to Oar earlier um I know there’s like a emphasis on trying to find more opportunities off ball how are you tracking oi’s progress and how he’s doing so far through two games yeah I think for oai it’s really been a good summer league for him to learn kind of his strengths and weaknesses and how he builds on those uh so over the last few days we’ve watched his game film and we’ve really tried to decide what does that look like for him how does he the next uh phasee of his offense so we’re going to run some kind of different actions for him that get him playing in the short in the little short pocket uh which I think is really effective for him uh and then I think we’ll also find opportun where he’s on the ball a bit more off the ball a bit more those those are sort of immaterial it’s more about what he does with the opportunities he does have how are you finding his offense in ter as an offensive player like you know like his confidence um is does he have the like the aptitude to score oh without question oai is a really Elite offensive player because of his his cutting his cutting super Elite and I think you’ve seen it on moments and I think we got to more and more cutting for him uh but his speed to the rim his ability to then finish at The Rim is really high level so it’s just encouraging and creating more opportunities for more of those we’re also going to talk to Brandon later on as well is there anything about his game that surprised you or sort of stood out to you in particular uh with Brandon I’ve really been noticing over the summer league and and mentioned it previous his defense um I think at first you think of him as sort of a shooter and a stretch player offensively but his defense has really been good I think his Rim protection uh his pick and roll coverages and his ability to switch one through five at the end of last game we were able to go small and allow him to switch one through five and keep the ball in front of us and I think he showed really good sort of proficiency in doing that so it’s something we can look at uh in future games I know this is just summer league and there’s a lot of excitement but like could you see him especially because he’s older he’s 25 like could could you see him getting minutes almost like not immediately but you know within the season for example in terms of rotational spots and things like that yeah Brandon’s a really heady player he knows how to play the game of basketball and I think that allows people to be on the floor because if you can make the right choice make the right pass you know call the right coverage that sometimes is what you need uh so I think he someone who is ahead of the curve obviously with his experience uh will continue to get his skills going and I think he’s someone who could be an impact player for sure

Players and Coach address the media following Tuesday’s Summer League Practice.

0:00 Ochai Agbaji
2:26 Branden Carlson
5:15 Jama Mahlalela

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