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As we do every spring and early summer (because the Raptors have only once still been in the playoffs at this late a date), we’re reporting on pre-draft workouts in Toronto. It’s decidedly not as exciting for a couple of reasons.
First, the Raptors never seem to pick any of the guys they have in to workout, and second (as is the case this year), they don’t even have a draft pick to use in the 2018 NBA Draft. What luck!
Nevertheless, we’re recording the information here. Today, the following players will be at the BioSteel Centre to workout for the Raptors brass:
.@Raptors will be holding a pre-draft workout today with Jon Elmore, Marcus Foster, Jairus Lyles, Dakota Mathias, Marcus Lee and Nana Foulland. #WetheNorth
— RaptorsMR (@RaptorsMR) May 24, 2018
It will not surprise you to learn that none of these players is on any sort of pre-draft ranking list.
To spice things up a bit, I asked former HQ contributor and college basketball aficionado (and sometime voice of the Ryerson Rams) Mitch Robson for his take on each of the players coming into Toronto.
Here’s what he had to say.
Jon Elmore
Vitals: 21 years old, 6’3”, 184 lbs.
Averages: 22.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, 6.7 assists, 35% 3PT
Mitch’s Take: “Elmore is a balding white version of James Harden for Dan D’Antoni at Marshall.”
Marcus Foster
Vitals: 22 years old, 6’3”, 205 lbs.
Averages: 19.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 41% 3PT
Mitch’s Take: “Foster was a bulldog of a guard at Creighton all year, but no-showed during their tournament game.”
Jairus Lyles
Vitals: 22 years old, 6’2”, 175 lbs.
Averages: 20.2 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2.1 steals, 39% 3PT
Mitch’s Take: “Lyles is the kid that led UMBC to the 16-1 upset over Virginia.”
Dakota Mathias
Vitals: 22 years old, 6’4”, 200 lbs.
Averages: 12.0 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 47% 3PT
Mitch’s Take: “Mathias is your classic white guy 3-and-D player.”
Marcus Lee
Vitals: 23 years old, 6’11”, 225 lbs.
Averages: 11.4 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.6 blocks
Mitch’s Take: “Lee started at Kentucky, got buried and transferred to Cal, where he put up alright numbers on an awful team.”
Nana Foulland:
Vitals: 22 years old, 6’9”, 230 lbs.
Averages: 15.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.7 blocks
Mitch’s Take: “Played at Bucknell (a really good, top quality mid-major school). He runs the floor, blocks shots, can shoot it a little bit, has soft hands. Basically what you’d hope Serge Ibaka could do.”
Wow. Shots fired. In any case, there you have it. Adjust your expectations accordingly.