Which Raptor would survive a zombie apocalypse? Who has the most impressive autograph collection? Did Luis Scola get emotional at the end of Fast & Furious 7? (Hint: hell yes). Why is Terrence Ross singing Alice Cooper? Every day until the season starts, a new player steps in front of the lens and answers the tough questions so you can get to know your Toronto Raptors. Up next, Anthony Bennett drops the ‘Big Daddy’ of all nicknames.
|Know Your Raptors: Jonas Valanciunas|Terrence Ross| DeMar DeRozan| Norm Powell| Patrick Patterson| Anthony Bennett|
It was a low-risk/high-reward move when the Raptors brought in Anthony Bennett just days before the start of training camp. The 1st overall pick just three years ago, Bennett arrived in Toronto after being released by the Minnesota Timberwolves and going unclaimed off waivers by the rest of the NBA. The Raptors signed the hometown kid at the league’s minimum salary in the hopes that his third team in as many years will be the best fit. Even if it doesn’t work out, if Bennett has yet another poor season, the risk will have been well worth it; while his role and conditioning have come under question over the years, his talent level never has.
Fortunately for Bennett and the Raptors, their newest player has actually looked pretty good throughout the pre-season, earning minutes with both the starting and second-unit, and showing flashes of why the Cleveland Cavaliers took him first overall in the first place. Exhibit A:
It remains to be seen how much playing time that will translate to once the regular season starts (if he isn’t sent down to Raptors 905 in the D-League to get meaningful minutes in a non-practice situation), but if Bennett can provide the Raptors with some semblance of reliability, Masai Ujiri’s latest gamble will most certainly be worthwhile.
2014-15 stats: 57 games played (three starts), 15.7 mpg/5.2 ppg/42% shooting (30% 3PT)
|Know Your Raptors: Jonas Valanciunas|Terrence Ross| DeMar DeRozan| Norm Powell| Patrick Patterson| Anthony Bennett|