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We’re back on the pre-draft workout frontlines again in Toronto. The Raptors have invited another six players to the BioSteel Centre to show off their skills in advance of the NBA Draft. An aside: do they go with six so as to facilitate 3-on-3 games? I digress.
Here are the prospects in town with bright hopes of going 23rd to Toronto (we presume):
JJ Frazier, Guard, 5-10, Georgia
Quinton Hooker, Guard, 6-0, North Dakota
Wesley Iwundu, Guard, 6-5, Kansas State
Hassan Martin, Forward, 6-6, Rhode Island
Devin Robinson, Forward, 6-7, Florida
Paul Watson, Forward, 6-7, Fresno State
We consult once again with the oracle known only as Draft Express. According to these more advanced minds, the highest rank player of this group is Devin Robinson from Florida, coming in at no. 48 on the Top 100 prospects. The 6’8’’ forward is 22 years old, and put up 11.1 points per game while shooting 39.1 percent from three. The Raptors have a need at the wing, am I right?
Meanwhile, the only other player who cracks the top 100 in this group is Wesley Iwundu from Kansas State, listed at no. 53. The 6’5’’ guard is 22 and a half, and put up 13 points per game last season, while shooting 37.6 percent from 3. Are these the only stats of note for Toronto’s scouts and management? My wild guess: yes. (OK, fine, Iwundu also averaged 3.5 assists. Not bad.)
The other four names, all quite superlative when you really look at them, are hopefuls of a different sort (e.g. heading to the D-League). And part of me, for a single split second, thought the Raptors had invited noted environmentalist crusader Paul Watson into town to bang in the post. The man just goes hard at the rim. It’s true!
Anyway, the NBA Draft is on June 22nd. And there will be more workouts.