Category: Basketball

It’s Sunday once more, and you know what that means — it’s time for our weekly social media roundup! Ever since Aaron Judge dropped a home run into the short porch against the Tampa Bay Rays last Sunday, the Yankees have been on a roll — and yet, they are currently the second biggest sports story in the Big Apple. How have they responded on social media? Let’s find out!

I wanna party like it’s 1973

This past Monday, the New York Knicks completed a sweep over the Cleveland Cavaliers, punching their ticket to their first NBA Finals appearance since 1999. YES Network researcher/statistician James Smyth took advantage of the fact that ESPN had the Monday broadcast in Kansas City and made sure he was in attendance for the historic moment.

While there, he commented on the fact that the Cavs played “Sweet Caroline” down by…well, down by a lot.

CC Sabathia, meanwhile, took to Facebook to share his excitement.

Behind the NY

The Yankees released episode nine of Behind the NY this week, focusing on Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s charity fashion show.

Game Belts

Thanks to a few wins, the Yankees passed the game belt around quite a bit this week — but not as much as they should have, according to some reports. Online speculation originally suggested that the team left the belt in New York, and did not get it back until Wednesday. That, however, seems a tad outdated, because they’ve only shared the game belt a couple times this week.

Dave’s Thoughts

As always, Yankees radio voice Dave Sims took to Instagram to react to the Yankees’ games this week.

The Weather(s) Report

Ryan Weathers took to Instagram to post a photo dump of happenings from the past few weeks.

DJ LeMahieu, Manager

DJ LeMahieu had his debut as the manager of the Royal Oak Leprechauns, and guess who threw out the ceremonial first pitch? Former teammate Gleyber Torres! Now with the Tigers, he’s rehabbing from an oblique strain but had time to pop over to support his fellow erstwhile Yankees infielder.

Instagram Shenanigans

We wrap this week up with a few Questions of the Day.

Four wins stand in the way of the first championship in half a century for the Knicks. The San Antonio Spurs and phenom center Victor Wembanyama will be the toughest opponent New York has faced in these playoffs. 

To get over the hump, the Knicks will need great two-way play from wing OG Anunoby. He’s the X-Factor for New York in the 2026 NBA Finals.

Anunoby is playing at the highest level of his career during these playoffs. In 12 games, the forward is averaging 19.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.6 steals. Despite missing two games due to a hamstring injury, Anunoby returned for all four games of the conference finals sweep of the Cleveland Cavaliers. By the end of the series, he looked more like himself after shaking off the rust. 

The wing is shooting a blistering 48.3 percent from the three-point line during the playoffs. Anunoby’s also been an off-ball threat. He’s averaging 1.53 points per possession on cuts in the postseason per NBA Stats. It’s the fifth-best mark in the NBA.

Anunoby’s combination of shooting, off-ball movement and scoring has been a great complement to New York’s stars Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns. Through the first three rounds, New York is a plus-21.3 points per 100 possessions in 406 minutes with Anunoby on the floor, according to NBA Stats. 

Defensive domination

Anunoby has been a versatile defender for the Knicks. Named to the NBA’s All-Defensive second team this season, he’s taken on primary defensive assignments in big men like Atlanta Hawks center Onyeka Okongwu and Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen throughout the postseason. He’s also guarded the likes of Atlanta’s Jalen Johnson and Philadelphia 76ers wing Paul George.

San Antonio has multiple perimeter offensive shot creators like Stephon Castle, De’Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper, so the Knicks will need Anunoby to guard multiple positions. There’s also the potential for Anunoby to defend the 7-foot-4 Wembanyama. Towns and the currently injured Mitchell Robinson are expected to have the primary assignment to defend San Antonio’s alien superstar. 

But Anunoby should also spend some time on Wembanyama. New York had Anunoby guard Wembanyama on numerous possessions in New York’s three matchups with the Spurs in the regular season and the NBA Cup. 

Despite the significant height difference, Anunoby has proven to be a physical defender. He can prevent Wembanyama from getting to his comfort zones in the post and he should at least be able to disrupt the seven-footer’s rhythm. According to Caitlin Cooper, of 20 players who have defended Wembanyama for at least 100 half-court matchups during his three-year career, Anunoby has allowed the fewest player points per 100 matchups as the primary defender.

How much Anunoby guards Wembanyama will depend on the lineups San Antonio goes to. If the Spurs have Harrison Barnes or Keldon Johnson on the floor for significant minutes, the Knicks can have Towns defend either of those two players. But if the Spurs feature lineups with high volume three-point shooters Devin Vassell and Julian Champagnie on the floor together, it makes sense for the Knicks to have Towns defend Wembanyama. Regardless, Anunoby will have an impact either as a primary defender or protecting the rim as a backline help defender. 

For the Knicks to win a championship, they will need a good series from Anunoby. He’s arguably been the most consistent player on the Knicks during this sprint to the Finals. And that should continue in this final test for the Knicks.

Kentucky Basketball has sent a lot of players to the NBA over the last decade plus, and more than a few former Wildcats showed up and showed out Saturday night with a trip to the NBA Finals on the line. Oklahoma City was searching for a second consecutive NBA Finals appearance, led by NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. San Antonio was seeking to upend what many thought would become a dynasty.

Game 7 had all the makings of a history-making event, and it didn’t disappoint. In front of one of the loudest crowds in the NBA in Oklahoma City, the Spurs took down the defending champion Thunder to advance to the NBA Finals.

Former Wildcats shine in NBA Western Conference Finals

Despite falling short, the Thunder were led by former Cats SGA and Cason Wallace. Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 35 points, 9 assists, and 4 rebounds. Wallace would be 2nd in scoring on the night for OKC, finishing the night with 17 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists.

San Antonio was, of course, led by the emerging superstar Victor Wembenyama, who finished with 22 points and 7 rebounds. But it was a pair of Cats who helped shut the door in the 4th quarter. Keldon Johnson, who is fresh off being named 6th man of the year, had 11 points in 16 minutes. De’Aaron Fox finished with 15 points, 5 assists, and 3 steals.

Altogether, Kentucky players accounted for 78 points, 14 rebounds, 19 assists, and 9 steals in the Western Conference Finals.

Now, Fox and Johnson will meet up with another former Cat, Karl-Anthony Towns, in the NBA Finals, which kick off on Wednesday.

Another year and another Cat is guaranteed to be hoisting the Larry O’Brien Trophy in the air after winning a championship.

Who are you pulling for, the Spurs or the Knicks?

There is a version of February 22 where the Warriors don’t even bother. Their best player Stephen Curry was out. Their All-Star acquisition Jimmy Butler III was out. Their prized trade deadline piece Kristaps Porzingis was ruled out that morning. Their future Hall-of-Famer and best defender Draymond Green got scratched before tipoff. The opponent was the dangerous Denver Nuggets and the best big man in the world Nikola Jokic was standing on the other side of the floor.

What the Dubs had left was Al Horford. As it turned out, that was enough.

Horford scored 11 points in the first quarter before most people had settled into their seats, going 4-of-5 from the field with three threes while Golden State built a lead that told Denver this was not going to be the afternoon they expected. He had 17 points and four assists in his first 14 minutes, and he did it with the particular calm of someone who has been in difficult basketball situations for two decades and stopped finding them frightening a long time ago.

The Nuggets had to account for him as a real offensive threat, which changed the geometry of everything else Golden State was trying to do, which is exactly the kind of quiet, competent damage that never shows up in highlights but wins games. This is actually why the Warriors wanted him in the first place. When Golden State brought Horford in, the bet wasn’t on the version of him that fills a stat sheet every night. It was on the version that understands how to read a game, how to make the right decision under pressure, and how to be exactly what a team needs on a given night without needing to be told what that is.

That kind of player takes time to find his footing in a new system, and the Warriors were patient with him through the stretches where it wasn’t clicking, because they understood what they were waiting for. February 22 was the receipt. When four rotation players went down and the franchise needed someone to just be a professional about the whole thing, Horford was ready because Horford is always ready; that is the only version of him that has ever existed.

He finished 8-of-11 from the field, 6-of-7 from three, with seven assists, three steals, and two blocks. His sixth three-pointer had Chase Center losing its mind for a 39-year-old role player February, which is not a sentence anyone wrote in their pregame preview.

Jokic finished with a triple-double because that is what Jokic does. The Nuggets scored 117 points because they are still the Nuggets. None of that really matters. What matters is that on a day when the Warriors lost four rotation players and most of their margin for error, the best player on the floor in a Warriors uniform was a 39-year-old center who looked completely unbothered by any of it.

Horford was BALLING, salute to him for exemplifying the Warriors mentality.

With all the excitement after the NBA Draft Lottery, and leading up to the NBA Draft, it’s very easy to forget that there is a very fine line we must walk when it comes to our roster. After the season the Jazz just had, I know that it’s hard to imagine what a fully healthy, functional, and lethal basketball team looks like but we do have some things to consider.

With the #2 pick in this year’s draft there are HUGE implications for the upcoming season and the franchise’s future. With that incoming rookie, there will be some shifts in the rotation that we must consider. There will be players that logged a lot of minutes for the Jazzmen last year that will not get the same kind of burn this year; it’s unfortunate, but eggs must be broken to make a championship omelet.

Even with us being so close to the NBA Draft, there hasn’t been any confirmation yet as to who the Washington Wizards will take #1 overall. With that in mind I think that, realistically, it will come down to the Jazz selecting BYU forward AJ Dybantsa or Kansas guard Darryn Peterson. While it may seem inconsequential, there are very different outcomes for each selection, and what it means for our role players that we came to know and love during this past season.

Option 1: Darryn Peterson

I think that this would be the best case scenario for everyone involved as it pertains to the rotation. My unconditional and irrational love for Isaiah Collier aside, Keyonte George is the point guard of the future for the Jazz and that means that we need a starting shooting guard. That Darryn Peterson guy? Pretty good, in my opinion.

He had an up-and-down season at Kansas marred with “injuries” or at the very least injury prevention measures, but with the report that Peterson and his team have resolved the cramping issues I don’t have any other option than to believe him. I don’t have any other choice to believe the he’s going to be healthy coming into the year, maintain that health throughout the entire 2026-2027 season, and end up on an All-Rookie team.

The most noticeable shift that would happen in the rotation would be Ace Bailey moving back to the bench, which causes a domino effect of Cody Williams, Brice Sensabaugh, and Elijah Harkless getting less minutes (assuming they all come back or don’t get traded). There were times that Williams, Sensabaugh, and Harkless were remarkable during the past season, but without the offensive upside that Peterson brings, it’s hard for me to argue that they get the same amount of (or more) minutes in good faith. Bailey is a bit of a different story.

Bailey really started to find his footing in the league during the last 20 games of the season. He averaged nearly 19 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 stocks (blocks + steals) a night, while shooting 36% from deep on a high volume of shots. He showed great consistency in that stretch as well; he scored in double figures in 19 of the 20 games, including three 30 point outings. In the final quarter of the season it seemed like Bailey was starting to figure the NBA game out. His defensive blunders still drove me up a wall, but his offensive feel and consistency was something to be admired. I would hate the relegate him to the bench after that kind of turnaround, but I don’t see another avenue. When compared to each other, it seems like Peterson is the more NBA level scorer, which would mean that Bailey would have to head back to the bench. He could be a great 6th man for us, though.

There is a small chance (and I mean microscopic) that we could trade Lauri Markkanen to the highest bidder, which would allow Bailey to play the small forward position, but if that trade were to happen I can’t image that it would be prior to the trade deadline. Without that certainty, I can’t imagine a world where both Bailey and Peterson get 30+ minutes a night. I think a more likely path would be for Peterson to get around 28 minutes a game, Bailey would get roughly 24 minutes a game, and Williams, Sensabaugh, and Harkless get minutes in the teens if not the single digits. As someone who has written a glowing article about Elijah Harkless it’ll be disappointing to see him not get any minutes (again, assuming he’s brought back) but I can’t say that it would be the wrong decision.

Option 2: AJ Dybantsa

I said before that it hasn’t been made clear what the Wizards will do with the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft, so in the rare chance the he isn’t selected by Washington, it would make sense for the Jazz to select the BYU product. The story writes itself, and while he isn’t a “home town kid,” it would be nice to see him continue his basketball career in Utah.

His selection by the Jazz is a tad more complicated than a Peterson selection. Dybantsa can play multiple positions, but the positions that he plays the majority of the time are… a bit full at the moment. Markkanen is slated to be our starting small forward, recently acquired Jaren Jackson Jr. is slated to be our starting power forward, and while we didn’t see Dybantsa play a ton of minutes at the center spot, that position is also locked up assuming that we can re-sign Walker Kessler.

Could he play the shooting guard role and have the rest of the rotation work out like we discussed with Peterson? Sure, I guess? He isn’t exactly a natural fit, though. Standing at 6’9”, he isn’t exactly shooting guard shaped. He also, to this point in his career, doesn’t space the floor incredibly well as he shot just 33% from three last year at BYU. If anything he would be like a DeMar DeRozan shooting guard, and unless it’s suddenly the early 2010’s again, I just don’t see that leading to winning basketball.

It also wouldn’t make any sense to have Dybantsa be selected as the No. 2 pick and be put on the bench behind Markkanen or Jackson Jr. I also don’t think that it would make sense to put either of them on the bench in favor of Dybantsa. If we were to select Dybantsa it would more than likely cause a series of trades, namely a Lauri Markkanen trade. He’s been in the rumor mill recently, and he’s been connected to the Detroit Pistons. Although the Pistons have future draft capital to trade, they are in the business of winning which would make their picks mostly useless, and they don’t own the rights to any juicy picks in the future. The trade would most likely consist of a sign-and-trade for Tobias Harris plus salary filler, and multiple first round picks. To be honest, I wouldn’t hate it. It opens up the space for Dybantsa to play immediately, it doesn’t relegate Ace Bailey to the bench, it would keep the bench piece’s minutes at a manageable level, but (respectfully) the drop-off from Lauri Markkanen to Tobias Harris is pretty steep for a team that’s trying to make their way back to the playoffs.

The Jazz have been known to slow-roll their players before; Bailey came off the bench for the first 10 games or so last year, and had the Jazz had anything close to a healthy season, maybe that first start for him would have come in February instead of November. I think that doing that with Dybantsa would be very complicated, but I can’t deny how excited I would be to see a bench unit led by him. If he were to be a bench player this upcoming year, we could very well get a repeat of 2005 when Ben Gordon won the 6th Man of the Year award while being a rookie. Is it likely? No. Is it complicated? Yes. Am I glad that I’m not the one making these decisions? Yes, but I wouldn’t mind the paycheck.

The postseason is wrapping up quickly which means that the offseason fun is upon us. We’ve got a lot of great stuff in the works here at SLC Dunk so be on the lookout for that! Who do you think we should draft? Who do you have winning the NBA Finals and how long do you think it’ll be until we hoist the trophy? Sound off in the comments!

Be kind. Tell somebody you love them.

There is a particular kind of silence that settles in when the thing you thought was yours just walks out the door. Oklahoma City Thunder fans heard it Saturday night at the Paycom Center. The Spurs celebrated in their building, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had to stand at a podium and explain to the world why defending a championship is the hardest thing in professional basketball.

Welcome to the lesson, fellas. ICARUS FLEW TO TO CLOSE TOO THE SUN.

The Thunder spent this entire season trying to look like the next Warriors. Young core, MVP, homecourt terror, regular season dominance, the whole beautiful machine humming on all cylinders. Saturday night, San Antonio reminded them that the Warriors comparison does not start with the champagne. It starts when somebody brilliant spends all summer trying to destroy you. And then actually does it.

The box score tells the story plainly enough. Shai dropped 35 on 12-of-21 shooting. Your MVP doing MVP things when the lights are brightest, and they still lost by eight. I know the majority of NBA fans hate his foul baiting tactics, but Shai was the only OKC player I saw looking trustworthy with the ball in his hands last night. Is that a Shai problem? That is a roster problem, an injury problem, and most honestly, a “this is just hard” problem that no amount of regular season dominance prepares you for.

The Spurs showed up with the answer sheet.

Now look. I hear the injury argument. Jalen Williams played 33 games this season. Thirty-three. The man was essentially a rumor for most of the year, making cameos like a feature artist who couldn’t clear his schedule. Ajay Mitchell, gone. Injuries are real.

But when the Warriors lost Andrew Bogut in 2016, Steph Curry was on one knee, and Andre Iguodala had no back strength left, nobody cared. When they lost Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant and DeMarcus Cousins in 2019, the basketball world offered exactly zero sympathy. Injuries are not an asterisk when you’re chasing dynasty status. Injuries are the qualifying exam.

This is the part nobody warns you about when you win your first ring. The league does not reset. It recalibrates. Every front office opens a new document the morning after you hoist that trophy, and at the top it says one thing: how do we beat them. San Antonio built the young law firm of “Fox, Castle, & Harper” into a ballhandler gauntlet specifically because you need guards who won’t flinch when OKC’s defense is trying to suffocate everything you love. The Spurs did their homework all summer. They showed up Saturday with receipts.

And this is where I need the Thunder, and honestly anybody watching, to really hear something. LET ME TELL YA SOMETHIN’ BROTHER!!

Greatness is not an affectation. It is not something you wear as an accessory before you go to the club. You cannot put it in a TikTok and dance it up. Greatness is not even the destination at all; rather it’s the beginning of the work that actually costs you everything. The Warriors learned that over eight years and four championships. The Thunder just got the invoice on year two.

There is something genuinely compelling about watching two young, brilliant franchises carve each other up over seven games. Victor Wembanyama and SGA are going to sharpen each other into legends the same way Curry and LeBron made each other better by simply existing in the same era. That Western Conference rivalry is going to produce basketball that makes people put their phones face down on the table for years, and that is rare.

But right now, in this moment, the Thunder have to sit with a truth that hits different when you are the one holding the empty trophy case. The 24-1 start and the MVP talk does not protect you. Nothing protects you from the moment anothr team catches up to what you built, because they were always coming.

The Spurs are going to the Finals. The Thunder are going to the drawing board. They may have flown close to the sun and found out a wings melting tragedy, but the important thing is that they try to fly again. And I believe they will.

That is the part of dynasty building nobody puts on the parade shirt.

The San Antonio Spurs went on the road to defeat the Oklahoma City Thunder 111-103 in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals on Saturday, upsetting the reigning champions in route to the NBA Finals. It was the 10th anniversary of the Golden State Warriors own Game 7 Western Conference Finals victory over the Thunder. The Dubs had comeback from 3-1 in the series while the Spurs completed a 3-2 comeback of their own. And there was one other connection between those Dubs and this year’s Spurs: Harrison Barnes whose birthday happens to be May 30th. So Barnes’ 24th and 34th birthdays were capped off by some of the most exciting Game 7 victories in recent NBA history.

It’s a testament to Barnes’ longevity that he played comparable roles on two Finals teams a decade apart. While Barnes only played three minutes yesterday, he was a mainstay in the Spurs starting lineup for the majority of the regular season, averaging 9.9 points on 45.6%/38.8%/82.9% shooting in 25.8 minutes per game across 77 contests (52 starts).

The Spurs hope to avoid the 2016 Warriors’ fate in the Finals. San Antonio is heavy favorites heading into the series with the New York Knicks, like the Dubs were against the Cavaliers in 2016 before losing in seven games. Barnes notoriously lost his three-point shot in the Finals (after shooting 52.6% from three against the Thunder) and would be replaced by Kevin Durant the following offseason. This go-around, Barnes three-point shot wavered early in the playoffs and Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson took him out of the starting lineup in favor of Julian Champagnie.

However the NBA Finals goes for Harrison Barnes and the Spurs, he can thank his teammates for making sure he had an excellent birthday.

The NBA Finals participants have been decided, but unfortunately the Boston Celtics are not among the participants. In some ways that was expected at the start of the season. In many ways, that is still a stinging disappointment based on how the regular season played out. So all of our attention is going to be focused on the path to getting back to this point in the playoffs and bringing home the trophy once again.

I don’t claim to have all the answers, but I’ve been doing this for a long time and I have no shortage of opinions that I’m happy to share. You know how this works at this point. You share your questions in the comments section below, I copy and paste them into an article and do my best to entertain and inform with my answers.

We can talk about trades, free agency, the draft, and just about everything else you can think of. In fact, feel free to entertain us with your off topic discussion ideas as well.

I’ll give it a few days before answering, so please share your thoughts below. Thanks!

KAT called it.

The Knicks and Spurs will be facing off in a rematch of the 1999 NBA Finals, and fans have spotted an eerily accurate prediction from Karl-Anthony Towns ahead of his Knicks debut two years ago.

Prior to the October 6, 2024 preseason matchup at the Charlotte Hornets, Towns arrived at the Spectrum Center wearing a retro 1999 Finals tee featuring Tim Duncan and Latrell Sprewell.

And 27 years later, Towns and his teammates will get their own shot at the Spurs after San Antonio beat the Thunder in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals on Saturday.

Towns’ prophetic fashion choice resurfaced on X on Saturday as fans shared their stunned reactions.

“IT WAS WRITTEN,” one wrote.

“Holy s— this is insane. Script Writers cooked on this one,” another added.

And a third said: “He knew everything from the beginning.”

Towns and the Knicks will hope their meeting with Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs goes better than the last Finals meeting between the two franchises.

In that series, the Knicks lost in five games and failed to reach 80 points three times as Duncan won Finals MVP.

The Finals will tip off on Wednesday with San Antonio hosting Games 1 and 2.

From an international prospect perspective, no NBA Draft is ever complete without a prospect from the ever-colourful Mega Basket in Serbia. Mega Basket has run under many guises in the past due to sponsorship reasons; Mega Leks, Mega Bemax, Mega Soccertbet, Mega Mozzart, Mega MIS, and now Mega Superbet.

Regardless of the ever-changing name, there are two things that are consistent with this club: their pink jerseys, and their contribution of talent to the NBA Draft. Over the years, players who have been selected from Mega Basket include Ivica Zubac, Goga Bitazde, Nikola Jovic, and one Nikola Jokic.

The Atlanta Hawks themselves have made two acquisitions from Mega Basket: Alpha Kaba in 2017, and more recently Nikola Djurisic by way of a draft-night trade with Miami, though neither played for the Hawks in an NBA game. Djurisic has since returned to Mega Basket since being waived by Atlanta earlier this year.

Only three of the 17 Mega Basket’s draft selections have been selected in the first round: Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, Bitazde, and Jovic. However, it is unclear if Mega Basket will have another first round selection in 2026. 19 year old Italian center Luigi Suigo is the focus of today’s scouting report.

Suigo will hope to become the latest of a respectable crop of players who will be selected wearing Mega Basket’s famous pink attire and has produced a solidly productive season. Suigo averaged 8.5 points per game on 55.8% shooting on 6.4 field goal attempts, 30% from three on 1.8 attempts, 63% from the line on 1.1 attempts, five rebounds, two offensive rebounds, 0.8 assists, one block, and 2.8 fouls in 18 minutes per game in 32 games played, starting 20 of them, per RealGM.

Perhaps most critically when it comes to evaluating Suigo as a prospect are his official physical measurements at the recent NBA combine, which have only added to the intrigue that surrounds him. Suigo measures at a towering 7 foot 2.75 inches in bare feet, a 7-foot 5.5-inch wingspan, a standing reach of 9 foot 6 inches, while weighing at 289 pounds. Before even touching a basketball, this is elite size and, depending on the skill that surrounds it, could see Suigo drafted inside the first round.

Let’s take a look at the footage, and see, indeed, what level of talent and potential surrounds Luigi Suigo’s elite physical frame. Suigo wears the number 19, though you’re not likely to see it as the number coloring clashes with the colourful jerseys. However, given his size, it’ll be hard to miss Suigo.

Offense/scoring

Shooting nearly 56% from the field, Suigo was efficient on the attempts he did manage to see, and he didn’t see too many, averaging six field goals per game. Given his size, three easy sources of offense for Suigo include pick-and-roll, a target at the rim to aim for, and offensive rebounding for second chance points.

On the screen, Suigo rolls to the rim with pace and finishes ahead of the defender, who has no chance to block from behind:

On the screen above the break, Suigo rolls to the rim where his elite size means there’s no defending him at the rim, and he finishes with the dunk:

Again on the screen up-top, Suigo rolls to the rim but displays more finesse and patience this time as he waits for the defender to leave his feet before finishing at the rim:

This time on the pick-and-roll, Suigo finishes over the top on the alley-oop at the rim, showcasing his athleticism:

This seems like a good time to transition to Suigo as an arial/lob threat at the rim, where his size and athleticism makes him a good target for his teammates.

After some lax defense allows Suigo to stroll inside, he provides an easy outlet for the alley-oop finish:

After his teammate breaks down the defense on the drive, Suigo is positioned perfectly at the rim for an easy alley-oop:

You can see instances where Suigo’s sheer size allows him to finish opportunities that otherwise may not be possible, such as this alley-oop thrown behind Suigo, who manages to extend to guide home the basket:

Here’s another play which exemplifies Suigo’s size advantage as he runs in transition, receives the ball in the paint, and he is simply able to extend over the outstretched defense for a basket:

Trailing the play in the paint, Suigo is on hand to collect the pass back where he finishes at the rim:

On the switch created on the pick-and-roll, Suigo is an easy option inside with the mismatch, and he finishes at the rim:

Suigo’s size also allows him to cause issues on the offensive glass and can also be an easy source of points.

Off of a miss from a teammate at the rim, Suigo is on hand to collect the offensive rebound where he keeps the ball above the defenders in the paint and finishes at the rim:

After being unable to guide the alley-oop home after the pick-and-roll, Suigo grabs his own miss and finishes at the rim:

Off of a missed shot, Suigo follows the ball through and gets ahead of the opposition to stick back the offensive put-back dunk:

Off of a missed jumpshot this time, Suigo boxes out his opponent, and converts the offensive rebound put-back dunk:

Again, Suigo’s size means that as long as the ball bounces the right way, there’s often not a lot the opposition can do to keep him off the glass, in this case Suigo scores the second chance at the rim:

Suigo’s size means, similar to converting alley-oops which are behind him, he can reach back to a greater degree than other players, in this he does so to guide home the offensive rebound:

This ability to crash the glass can also result in drawing fouls and free throws:

These next two plays that Suigo made inside the arc that don’t fall in the category of pick-and-roll/alley-oops/offensive rebounding that are worth looking at, but they showcase Suigo’s offensive potential.

Faking off the three-point line, Suigo operates off the dribble and steps into the long jumpshot:

Receiving the ball on the out of bounds play, Suigo spins out of the fake dribble hand-off and drives all the way to the rim for the dunk:

More of those types of plays would open up a lot offensively for Suigo. As would successful three-point shooting, which alludes Suigo right now, but 30% is a foundation to build on right now. Here are some of the looks Suigo made to get an eye-in for his shot:

Suigo also did a good job with his screen setting or using his body otherwise to carve out space for his teammates. We’ve looked at some of these in pick-and-roll scenarios where Suigo has finished at the rim or with an alley-oop but let’s look at additional scenarios.

On this screen, Suigo opens up the space for a three-pointer for his teammate which is converted:

On this play, Suigo sets the screen to create separation and then is able to carve out additional space to fend off the shot blocker, allowing for a finish at the basket:

Here, the down screen set by Suigo opens the space for a three-point attempt. Even after the airball, Suigo is able to collect the offensive rebound:

Another screen on the perimeter allows for an opening for a three-point attempt:

There were a couple of possessions that concerned me, especially for a big-man. Sometimes, Suigo’s hands let him down, and he allows the ball to bobble about and lose control:

Passing/playmaking

Suigo averaged 0.8 assists per game, so there isn’t too much to say here, but a couple of noteworthy moments passing the ball.

On this play, Suigo is credited for the assist on the dribble hand-off and sets a screen to help open space for a made three:

After the pick-and-roll, Suigo receives the ball and delivers a great overhead pass, only for the shot to be blocked:

On this play, Suigo does well to realize his surroundings and when he receives the ball he shifts the ball over to the open man for a three-point attempt:

This time off the dribble, Suigo drives inside and delivers an intuitive drop-pass at the rim for an assist as his teammate finishes the play:

Defense

There’s quite a bit to discuss here, and while I’ve been positive on Suigo as a whole up to this point, defensively is where there are a number of concerns to be had relating to Suigo as an NBA prospect. Ultimately, I’d be extremely worried that he’d be too slow in the NBA defensively to stay on the court.

Mega Basket often had Suigo show/hedge on screens, but Suigo simply doesn’t have the mobility to do this and recover consistently; one way or another he ends up too far behind the play. We looked at Momo Faye recently, and while he may not enter the draft this year, he demonstrated how to successfully utilize his mobility to hedge on pick-and-rolls. Suigo cannot do this. When he shows on this screen, he cannot get back quick enough to the pick-and-roll big, who scores at the rim while Suigo is too far behind:

On this play, Suigo switches to the ball-handler briefly, and he cannot get back to his man on the three-point line:

Again, Suigo shows on the screen, and he cannot get back to the three-point shooter on the screen, in this case, former NBA player Donatas Motiejunas, who hits the three:

A similar play is run again, but this time Motiejunas dives to the rim with the ball, and Suigo is unable to keep up and Motiejunas dunks at the rim:

On the pick-and-roll, again the ball is delivered to the big on the roll, and Suigo is unable to keep up with the play, which eventually ends with a basket at the rim:

On the screen and re-screen, Suigo shows on the ball-handler but when the ball is delivered to the roller Suigo is again unable to get back with the play and the shot block attempt is unsuccessful:

Suigo doesn’t fare too well on switches; he’s just too slow to keep up.

On a switch on a pick-and-roll, Suigo is too slow to keep up with the switch, who gets an open shot off:

On another switch, Suigo is too slow to be able to live with the switch, and on the layup attempt he’s called for the goal-tend:

Suigo is also foul prone, and his lack of mobility is one contributing factor towards this, as well as others.

On the switch, Suigo is called for the foul on the bump:

On another switch, Suigo commits another foul on the drive, leading to free throws:

Suigo is called for another foul on the drive from the outside, leading to more free throws:

Suigo is just not mobile enough to be able to face-guard like this and get away with; he cannot keep up on the drive.

On another drive, Suigo’s lack of mobility means he cannot maintain the guard, and he commit the foul on the drive:

Suigo is active going for block attempts, but he can get these wrong at times, which can also contribute to his foul trouble.

On the rotation trying to block the shot, Suigo makes contact from behind and commits the foul on the shot, plus the make:

Suigo mistimes this block attempt badly, misreading the situation at the rim, smashing clumsily into the offensive player, and the basket is scored, plus the foul:

On a late rotation, Suigo does well to recognize the danger and makes the right read/rotation towards it, but commits the foul on the follow-through, leading to free throws:

On the pick-and-roll, Sugio shows on the drive and when the ball is delivered to the roll-man — his man — Suigo commits the foul on the block attempt at the rim:

There were other defensive moments that were not ideal when watching Sugio; these don’t fit into any particular category, but were moments that weren’t ideal.

On this play, Suigo is beaten by a standstill up-and-under move:

On this next play, Suigo squanders a good defensive position between himself and the baseline, and loses position underneath the basket where Suigo is beaten and concedes at the rim:

Right, that’s the negatives out of the way when it comes to Suigo’s defense. Not to glaze over these before moving onto the positives; these are glaring weaknesses that could really harm Suigo’s defensive upside and limit his NBA ceiling. If you’re exploited over and over again defensively, or too slow to operate defensively, eventually your game-time is just going to disappear.

Moving to positives now, Suigo’s size and length contribute to defenders thinking twice as they get into the paint.

On this drive to the rim, Suigo rotates and his vertical challenges forces the pass out away from the rim:

On another drive to rim, Suigo picks up the drive and his size is a likely contributor to the pass-out to the three-point line:

Suigo’s size also helps him contest shots to a high degree, such as on this drive where Suigo doesn’t even move to impact the shot; he just raises his hands and it’s enough to force a wild shot:

Coming off of the screening action, Suigo steps up to the three-point line and contests the three-point shot, which results in an airball:

Inside the paint after the pick-and-roll, Suigo’s size and length helps him put up a good contest on the hook-shot, which is missed:

On the rotation, Suigo steps up in the paint to contest a runner, and helps contribute to the miss:

Suigo’s rotations can be effective, and beyond contesting/blocking shots, such as the rotation at the baseline on this play, which prompts a pass that leads to a turnover:

And, of course, Suigo’s size/length helps him blocks shots.

On the drive, the ball-handler tries to finish around Suigo, who is on-hand to block the shot at the rim:

When Suigo steps up in the paint — and the ball delivered behind him — he recovers and blocks the shot from behind at the rim:

In closing…

Luigi Suigo will naturally draw interest from NBA teams as his physical profile and measurements are elite for a prospect, especially one who just turned 19 earlier this year. Already, Suigo has a good physical frame and excellent physical tools. Suigo has elite size, and length, which is put to good use on both ends of the floor.

Let’s discuss Suigo further. Offensively, Suigo’s is most effective right now in pick-and-roll, as a lob threat, and on the offensive glass. The latter is the most likely to immediately translate, followed by his danger as a lob threat, and lastly pick-and-roll. None of these skills are elite as yet but there’s certainly enough for an NBA team to begin with in terms of development, plus the potential for more physical growth from Suigo. Suigo’s hands can be a concern at times but, overall, he put his physical tools to good use on the offensive end. Suigo is also a good screener, and this can certainly be immediately utilized.

As a three-point shooter, Suigo is a developing threat, and pick-and-pop scenarios would seem to be a good focal point for continued development. Realistically speaking, Suigo’s NBA effectiveness on the offensive end is going to be largely dependent on how effective he can shoot from three. If he was to become a consistent three-point shooter, then Suigo truly offers something unique in the NBA: elite size to combine with shooting. The rest — pick-and-roll, lobs, offensive rebounds — are helpful, but if Suigo is to truly succeed in the NBA, the shooting must emerge.

Defensively, Suigo’s lack of lateral quickness is a real concern. NBA teams will be smart enough to not do what Mega Basket did so often, which was to put Suigo in situations where he hedges/shows on pick-and-rolls — he’s just not going to be able to keep pace in any such scenarios in the NBA. Even excluding these scenarios, I think there’s reasonable cause for real concern that at 7-foot, 3-inches in shoes and 289 pounds, Suigo may be run off the floor defensively in the NBA.

Perhaps a team who runs a bit more zone could hide this weakness, but one-on-one it’s going to be difficult against fours who play as fives, and the more athletic fives in the league. A big, for example, such as Onyeka Okongwu would have no issue running rings around Suigo. Suigo has good moments blocking shots and contesting shots — these are aspects his elite size allows him to do quite well, but he struggles to shift defensively and is foul prone.

Suigo is going to require time to further develop, but you can certainly see the vision an NBA team may be enamored by: elite size, shooting potential, and a shot blocker. The road to get there is going to take time, but perhaps a team like Denver would be better suited to take such a gamble and by the time Nikola Jokic concludes his Nuggets-career.

Let’s take a look at what other draft experts/outlets have concluded in their own evaluations of Luigo Suigo.

Suigo is listed 32nd overall as part of ESPN’s ‘Best Available’ list, while ESPN’s mock draft projects Suigo at 39th overall. Sam Vecenie of The Athletic does not have Suigo mocked inside the top-60. Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports mocks Suigo as high as 22nd overall to the Sixers, with this to add on Suigo:

As for this choice, finding a center to play behind Joel Embiid needs to be prioritized. Embiid simply cannot be trusted to stay on the floor. Suigo has said he wants to be the Italian Wemby and, at 7-foot-3 with passing feel and shooting touch, you can see why a teenager might put that out into the universe. Suigo lacks the handle and self-creation chops to ever be the best player on a team, but his dynamic skills as a passer, shooter, and lob threat layer cleanly on top of baseline center duties as a screener, finisher, and rim protector. Becoming the Italian Marc Gasol is a more realistic goal, and would be a dream fit alongside Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe for many years to come.

This type of range and team makes sense for Suigo; it really is an upside swing for a team who has a cornerstone center. The Sixers make more sense for this reason, so the projection of team certainly fits. We didn’t touch on passing as much; in the games I watched of Suigo I thought these moments were fleeting but there were a couple of instances where Suigo’s passing was intriguing. As regards lack of handle and self-creation, it’s just not realistic to expect a handle or prowess off the dribble, though there were a couple of flashes of Suigo putting the ball down on the floor and making plays. I don’t think this is a selection you make to be ‘the best player on a team.’ It’s a additive selection which you hope blossoms alongside your young talent.

O’Connor also listed his perception of Suigo’s strengths and weaknesses:

STRENGTHS

Interior finishing: He rolls hard in ball screens, has good hands for lobs in traffic, and even if he’s not able to finish with dunks or layups right at the rim, he displays fantastic touch on hook shots.

Offensive rebounding: He shows a real nose for the ball on the boards, skying over defenders to extend his arms and grab the ball at its apex. He averaged 2.1 offensive boards in under 20 minutes per game this season and displayed a great feel for going right back up with it, except for the occasional instances he’d bring it down. On defense, he boxes out and has equally strong instincts on the boards.

Playmaking feel: Suigo hits cutters from the elbows, whips skip passes out of the post, and patiently handles doubles before delivering the ball with either hand. At the next level he’ll be useful in handoffs since he can execute plays or adjust and find the second option. And if his shooting skill catches up, he becomes a major threat.

Perimeter skill: He made 34% of his catch-and-shoot 3s with Mega. He looks extremely comfortable back-pedaling behind the line into the corners and wings, and pick-and-pops at the top of the arc. Even though he moves slowly, he even has a bit of a handle to attack closeouts and get to the rim.

Defensive upside: He’s a quick processor as a defender with the size, length, and effort levels to someday become a tremendous paint protector. He takes good angles as a help defender, rotates with awareness, and takes satisfaction in getting stops.

Let’s pause here for a moment. All of this so far checks out based on what we’ve examined, minus the superlatives on playmaking. As O’Connor notes, Suigo does possess a good read on the defensive end and does see some plays develop in front of him and rotates accordingly; sometimes he’s just not quick enough to do anything about it. Let’s continue.

CONCERNS

Offensive rawness: As promising as his skill-set is, he’s still not yet a reliable shooter. He’s still not yet a dominant roller to the basket, in part because he doesn’t set strong screens. So while the path is there for him to become a great talent on offense, he has a long way to go.

Perimeter defense: He moves fluidly for his size, but his movements are all quite slow. He could struggle defending in space on switches, hedging pick-and-rolls, or even getting back down the floor to stop a break. He’ll need to get stronger while also getting quicker.

Defensive discipline: He reaches for dribbles and tries to block too many shots when he should just use his size to deter drivers from getting into the paint. For now, he looks like a foul magnet early in his NBA career.

‘Getting stronger while also getting quicker’ is going to be challenging already at 289 pounds. If Suigo is too slow to move effectively defensively, it’s going to be an uphill battle. He could develop a great shooting touch, and it may still not be enough to hang around in the NBA if he’s stuck in mud.

Kyle Mann of The Ringer projects Suigo 30th overall to the Dallas Mavericks. Mann had quite a bit to add on Suigo:

STRENGTHS

• Just turned 19 years old in late January and already very physically developed. Humongous presence in the paint at 7-foot-3, with a wingspan pushing 7-foot-6. Solid build in his upper and lower body. Could stand to define and add more muscle, but has wide legs and midsection, to the point that he can already dish out strong contact in the paint and on screens. Needs some runway to really hit full speed. Not a remarkable leaper, but with a path to jump, he can surprise with his ability to go up and get the ball on a lob.
• The optics of Suigo’s perimeter shooting are slightly out of sync with the results. He has a pretty impressively effortless shooting motion for a player his size that is close to one motion, with minimal dip toward his waist off the catch and a release point that’s well above his head. The arc of his ball is high, and he has a nice coordinated rhythm to his catch-and-shoot looks, with a soft follow-through. He clearly has touch. That said, he stopped just short of real consistency—he hit on 34.3 percent of his 70 catch-and-shoot attempts from 3 last season. But all in all, he doesn’t seem like he’ll be easily neglected by defenses. Seems like this is where a lot of the ambition in his game is rooted, because he looks more schooled and technically polished in the pick-and-pop game than anywhere else.
• Did well playing physically in the pick-and-roll and didn’t mind really establishing contact with his ball handler’s defender. Read the defense’s coverage response to the handler and chose his roller opportunities well. Huge target as a screener and difficult to navigate because of his solid build. Had a ton of roll gravity in the Baltic’s ABA League because he didn’t have many peers in terms of size. Has surprisingly soft hands when catching high or low passes and a good catch radius.
• His offensive game is largely uncomplicated in that he’s either catching and shooting or rolling to the rim for something easy. Has soft overhanded touch near the basket. Still posted an impressive 73.1 percentage at the rim.

An elite shooting figure at the rim as reported by Mann; 73% is nothing to sniff at. Let’s continue:

WEAKNESSES

• Can be a little spacey within the flow of the game. Will need to pay attention to more than one thing at a time, as the game will be much faster and more athletic in the NBA. Needs some time to learn how the power of his size and his positional wagering affect what players choose to do (or, more importantly, not do) in the paint. Can get jumpy toward drivers and chase a blocked shot or can get vertical prematurely and end up out of position, when in reality he could simply stunt toward players and dissuade them without creating an easy look for lurking offensive players cutting to the basket.
• We see only rare glimpses of self-creation at this point. Has brief stints of attacking one-on-one if he’s caught a roller pass and has to make a quick move. Will also reel off the occasional post-up or maybe a move off an offensive rebound. Probably doesn’t have to be a craft savant to survive inside but will need to sharpen a handful of basic moves.
• Looks like a coordinated athlete when he’s running at full speed in transition, but he’s not twitchy in the half court. His hips can be a bit lumbering in side-to-side shuttling situations, as well as when he’s flipping them and retreating back to his defensive assignment. Can get out over his skis against faster players in open space (most players his size do) or if he meets a ball handler at the level of a screen. Still learning what types of movements in relation to offensive players can put him in overextended and vulnerable positions. This isn’t a severe indictment so much as a likely indicator of his coverage capability. 
• Needs work owning his space and protecting the ball when he’s in traffic. Doesn’t always leverage that impressive frame of his by playing through the chest of the defender or powering through arms to finish. Would at times leave his feet too early from outside the restricted area and make himself smaller and easier to contest.
• It’s hard to know exactly what to make of these colossal traditional 5s who have modern skill sets. Recent success stories can skew expectations. There could be a splash of “look at what Aday Mara just became” powering the interest in Suigo. He’s said that he’d like to be the “Italian Wemby,” but there just aren’t many players at that height who can sit down and mirror offensive players on the ball who are a foot shorter than them. “Italian Clingan” might be more attainable? In all likelihood, selecting Suigo at this stage would be a two- or three-year developmental bet, not unlike the one that the Blazers made by selecting Yang Hansen 16th in 2025. Overall, I think he will need to be taken by an organization with a strong developmental track record, but there are raw materials to mine.

Mann concludes by comparing Suigo’s ideal developmental trajectory to that of Luke Kornet:

Suigo is a bit of a throwback, but not in the way you’d expect. The NIL era of college basketball has changed scouting dynamics quite a bit. No need for a plane ticket: Young and talented international prospects are coming over and playing in the NCAA in droves. Suigo could very well follow that path, but there’s a lot of interest in bigs at the tail end of the first round and in the early second round, and he could be in line to capitalize. The massive Italian teenager spent the past year in Serbia playing for Mega, which has been an international prospect factory over the past decade-plus. Suigo boasts impressive mobility for a player his size and is eager to hoist shots from deep. It wouldn’t be a shock to see him follow Luke Kornet’s trajectory in the league, starting off as a stretch 5 before becoming a more classic at-rim finisher and rim protector as he navigates the paint with more nuance. His numbers don’t quite bear that potential out yet, but there are flashes of playmaking that teams might be keen to develop. His movement skills, at his size, scream first-round flyer, even if his passing and perimeter competencies are largely theoretical at this point. 

This type of trajectory would be an enormous success for both Suigo and the team who makes the selection, but everyone would appear to be in agreement: it is going to take time to see any potential return on Luigi Suigo, but if Suigo can improve his mobility defensively, develop his three-point shot, and maintain and improve his foundation inside the arc (pick-and-roll, lobs, offensive rebounding), then it is possible Luigi Suigo may prove a steal near the end of the first-round.

Throughout the Western Conference finals, the San Antonio Spurs hoped that Victor Wembanyama could work enough magic while he was on the court to make up for the Oklahoma City Thunder annihilating them while he was off of it. Late in Game 7 on Saturday night, the Thunder must have been licking their chops. Wembanyama picked up his fifth foul early in the fourth quarter. The Spurs led by six at the next break in play, a lead that could disappear in minutes with Wembanyama’s backup, Luke Kornet, on the floor. But there was no choice – Wembanyama checked out rather than risk fouling out.

Immediately, Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein picked off a pass and bolted down the floor to lay the ball in. That would have cut the Spurs’ lead to four, but more importantly may well have set into motion a trend we had seen throughout the series: When Wembanyama sits, the Thunder feast.

Instead, Kornet – a competent but limited player – soared into the air with Hartenstein and blocked the ball into the backboard with an almighty thud. The Spurs recovered the rebound, and Stephon Castle’s short jumper ballooned San Antonio’s lead to eight. “Four-point swing – that might be the play of the game right there,” Reggie Miller said on the broadcast.

After a Thunder turnover, Kornet made way for Wembanyama. Kornet’s fourth-quarter stint lasted just 54 seconds, but he’d done his job. Then the Spurs’ talented, youthful core did theirs to complete a 111-103 win that proved experience isn’t always crucial in the NBA playoffs.

Though the Spurs and Thunder are headlined by extraordinary stars in Wembanyama and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, playoff basketball is about depth. For most of the series, the Thunder won that battle. Their superb bench sometimes outscored their starters. Such is the wealth of talent in the Thunder roster that their second-best player, Jalen Williams, and a vital offensive engine, Ajay Mitchell, sat out games with injuries, and at times they were barely missed. But in Game 7, only Gilgeous-Alexander was on song. He outscored the rest of the Thunder’s starters on his own, 35-31. By the fourth quarter, he was exhausted. The Thunder got 14 fourth-quarter points from Cason Wallace, but nobody else could meaningfully chip in. They were undone by what is usually their biggest strength.

Related: Spurs beat reigning champions Thunder in Game 7 to set up NBA finals date with Knicks

The Spurs, in contrast, got vital contributions from everybody: Kornet’s block. Keldon Johnson hit two three-pointers. Dylan Harper took a long three over Gilgeous-Alexander, ill-advised at first glance, and nailed it. De’Aaron Fox splashed a tricky three-pointer. So did Julian Champagnie, who made six of 10 for the game after struggling to find his shot for most of the series. Wembanyama played the final few minutes foul-free; with his teammates lightening his burden, he never really had to take a risk.

Big picture, it’s shocking to see the defending champions eliminated. Oklahoma City won 24 of their first 25 games this season – even without Williams – and there were murmurs that the NBA should just give them the trophy already. The Spurs weren’t even considered contenders at first, but three wins over the Thunder in December corrected that belief and revealed cracks in the defending champions. This result is what those games suggested was possible.

You could still make the case that, fully healthy, the Thunder are the best team in the league. Gilgeous-Alexander was generally poor this series; and when he finally stepped up in Game 7, his teammates regressed. Chet Holmgren was invisible enough to make ghosts jealous; he’ll hope that invisibility lasts so he can evade the media pile-on that’s sure to come. And despite all that, the Spurs had to win a tight, tricky Game 7 on the road to win this series. The Thunder’s defense remains the gold standard, a whirling mass of swatting hands and waving arms that ventures right up to the line of what will draw a referee’s whistle and no further. They will be back next season, probably healthier and better.

Many will be glad to see them depart the playoffs. Gilgeous-Alexander’s proficiency for drawing fouls has never been popular, but fans’ distaste for his methods has amplified this season. ESPN’s Jay Williams did a segment on Gilgeous-Alexander’s habit of falling over in the pursuit of fouls. Earlier in the series, Hartenstein pulled Castle’s hair under the basket, which somehow went unpunished. Other teams try to manipulate foul calls, but none as consistently, shamelessly, precisely, annoyingly, or successfully as the Thunder. They play effective, unpopular basketball, and even if everyone on Earth teamed up to chant “FLOPPER!” at them they would still carry on with their tactics.

But there’s no denying their greatness. They came closer to repeating as champions than anybody since the peak Golden State Warriors. Wonderful basketball teams in the 2025 Denver Nuggets and Indiana Pacers have tried and failed to beat the Thunder in a Game 7. The narrative of the Spurs-Thunder rivalry was powered by Wembanyama’s evident disdain for Holmgren, his craving for Gilgeous-Alexander’s MVP award. If winning the championship is the Spurs’ dream, beating the Oklahoma City juggernaut was their desire.

When the buzzer sounded, Wembanyama shouted and cried, biting his fist like he wanted to eat it, and clawing at his head like it was too small to contain the ensuing burst of joy. The New York Knicks are up next in the NBA finals. They’re better rested than the Spurs, did well against them in the regular season, and are on an 11-game winning streak. But right now, with the embers of Game 7 still warm, it’s hard to imagine anything in the finals that could matter more than this.

Although the heartbreaking loss in game 7 was a sad way to end the season, it’s hard to find a Raptors fan that isn’t full of hope for next season. Already they outperformed in almost every metric, they clinched the playoffs (a feat that hasn’t been achieved since 2022) and phenomenal performances from the younger players on the roster has made everyone wonder what we could be in another year or two.

Some players come into the league and are incredible immediately, but teams are built around the guys who come in and work hard and do their job on the court. You need superstars, but you also need a deep bench that can contribute and win the minutes where they are on the court.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at the bench, their year, and one thing we’d like them to work on over the summer that will take them to the next level as a contributor to this team.

Jamal Shead

This season: 6.6 points || 1.7 rebounds || 5.4 assists || 36.7 FG%

While the numbers aren’t overwhelming, it’s undeniable that he’s played a big role on the team this year. Throughout the year, many fans drew comparisons with Kyle Lowry (maybe a tad prematurely, but I like the confidence). His “Dawg” mentality, the effort on both ends of the court, and his willingness to do any job have all raised his stock.

While there weren’t clear trends over the course of the season, as a starter, there’s significant jumps in virtually every stat: 11.5 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 7.5 apg, 39.6% FG. 

His biggest assets are currently his gritty defence, facilitation for everyone else on the court, and (when he’s hot) long range shooting. He is undeniably a passionate and intense player, but that’s everything that you want in a competitor. 

Where he could improve is developing a floater. He’s done a lot to get big men lobs and easy shots underneath, but at times, he doesn’t have the gravity to keep paint protectors on himself when he dives into the paint before distributing. If he can consistently score on push shots and floaters, that should open up more space for rollers and cutters with far less resistance because the defence will have to commit to one or the other.  

Collin Murray-Boyles

This season: 8.5 points || 5.0 rebounds || 1.9 assists || 57.9 FG%

Despite being only 6’7”, his strength and athleticism allows him to play much bigger than he is. He spent minutes playing as a center, bringing us some of the most exciting, rim-rocking dunks of the season. It also allowed him to defend centers much larger than him and hold his own. In the playoffs, he brought us exciting, fearless rim protection that will only get better as he ages.  

One of the most obvious skills he demonstrated throughout the season was his ability to read rebounds. Averaging almost as many offensive as defensive rebounds per game, he offered Toronto a myriad of second chance opportunities through sheer will. He has the intensity and the mindset to be a difference maker which he has already been doing in his first NBA season.

Offensively, he was able to be a lob threat, operate in screen and roll actions, and later on, developed a midrange game that allowed him to capitalize if defenses slacked off of him.

He’s already earning well-deserved accolades including the nod to attend the NBA Rising Stars game and received an All-Rookie Second Team selection. 

Where he could improve is shooting. It’s hard to ask someone to be everything, but teams like the Spurs and the Nuggets that are able to run pick and pop actions capitalize on a center that can score from anywhere on the floor. Two thirds of his shots this season came from within a few feet of the basket. If he can extend that, even to the edges of the paint, that can create more options for everyone on the court. 

Ja’KobeWalter

This season: 7.5 points || 2.6 rebounds || 1.8 assists || 44.6 FG%

Sometimes people expect a sophomore slump. Some people might even try to frame this season as a slump since across the board, he averaged fewer points, assists, and rebounds than last season. If you look further, you’ll see jumps in shooting efficiency. His FG% jumped over 4% to 44.6%, and he shot 40.9% from long range, a 6% increase from the previous season. 

With the health of Ingram and more bodies on the court, he touched the ball a lot less. A learning curve that not everyone would master, he struggled early on in October and November, but by April, he was averaging 10/4/2 and shooting 50% from the field in that calendar month. 

While the numbers might not be overwhelming, all we should see is the leaps he made throughout the season, his effort and development in getting better and responding to tough games, and the aspect of how his game is developing. He has shown the ability to score from all over the floor, with potential to be a consistent, talented 3-level scorer. 

What I would love to see from him this summer is just getting shots up. The only way to build consistency and confidence is to continue to work on the craft, and if he can put April numbers up all season long, he could be one of the most valuable bench players on the team. 

GradeyDick

This season: 6.0 points || 1.9 rebounds || 0.7 assists 

Going from starting every night and playing 30 minutes per game to a single start and 14 minutes per game would be jarring for any player. For Gradey, this has been a tough year. The overall health of the team, new lineups, and early struggles saw him pushed deeper down the bench as the season progressed. Ultimately though, how he responds to this season will be the biggest determiner of his future on the team and in the league.

We’ve seen flashes of his ability as a shooter, but the shadow of Jamison Battle is looming. He wasn’t able to do much of what we’d expect and the lack of minutes meant that he wasn’t able to work out any of his issues on the court. In the past he’s struggled but a stint in the G-League and some opportunity to just shoot the ball helped him get into rhythm. 

It’s not time to sell stock in him yet though. He belongs in the league. He had his first career double-double this season, which will be a silver lining he will have to focus on.

What he needs to work on this summer is his long range shooting. What earned Battle minutes over him consistently was when Gradey got his chance, he wasn’t able to convert. He needs to touch the floor and knock down those floor-spacing shots. His defence could also use some help, which would help him stay on the floor longer to work out some of his shooting yips. 

Sandro Mamukelashvili

This season: 11.2 points || 5 rebounds || 2 assists || 52.3 FG%

Being behind Lopez and Portis in Milwaukee, he never had the opportunity to show what he was truly capable of in his first two seasons. San Antonio was ushering in the Wemby era, so they didn’t have room for him either. 

Lucky for Toronto. Mamu has exceeded expectations consistently.

His physicality and strength allowed him to be a presence in the paint at both ends of the court. His long range shooting provided Toronto with some floor-spacing that they don’t have with Poeltl. He came out night after night and kept up with some of the best bigs in the league and held his own. 

The biggest question is if he will be back. Mamu has a player option next year to the tune of 2.8 million, but it wouldn’t be surprising if he opted out in search of more money with the work he put in this year. 

The one thing he could work on is decision making. At certain junctures throughout the season, the intensity of a game would lead him to force shots, often through multiple defenders and come up empty. While it didn’t always cost them the game, ultimately every possession matters and I’m sure the Raptors would like to have some of them back. Passing out or developing more of an ability to draw fouls in the paint would all be beneficial for him and (hopefully) Toronto next year.

Jamison Battle

This season: 3.1 points || 1.5 rebounds || 0.4 assists || 51 FG%

Those numbers will not jump off the page at you. In fact, saying he logged solid playing minutes in a series-clinching game wouldn’t be the conclusion you would draw. And yet, here he is. 

He didn’t get a ton of opportunities throughout the course of the season, but when he did, his shooting felt more like a guarantee than a question. One of his most thrilling games was a 20 point performance in which he remained perfect from the field (7 for 7) followed up by a 14-point (5 for 5) night in game two of the playoffs. 

He definitely earned his place on the team and the opportunity to prove himself further. His long-range shooting can be a crucial piece of the Raptors’ offence and when he is run off the line, he’s shown a solid mid-range game as well.

Defence should be the focus of his offseason. He committed a fair amount of personal fouls, often by trailing his mark. He would be a target for the other team at times which might send him to the bench if he’s giving up more than he’s getting offensively. Adding more defensive tools to his toolchest could help him stay on the floor to make the big shots when needed.

The Rest of the Bench

While there’s plenty of future potential, Mogbo, Hepburn, and Martin are probably not ready yet. They’ve all shown flashes, but the jump to the NBA is a challenging one, and these guys have their work cut out for them. I’d imagine any and all of them will probably spend next year working on their game in the G-league. 

Temple has been the resident veteran and while he doesn’t log many minutes, Toronto has kept him around for a reason. A steadying voice with encouragement and wisdom. It’s unclear if he’ll be back next year or that will fall to a guy like Ingram, but his presence has been an asset. He’s always on the bench pointing and coaching everyone on how to grow.

Trayce Jackson-Davis was underwhelming. I would be surprised if Toronto picks up the option as he gradually fell out of the lineup altogether outside of garbage time. 

Lawson has had probably the best season out of the deep bench, earning his way to a standard NBA contract. While the future is uncertain, the growth he has shown over the course of the season and his ability to pick himself back up after being passed over by multiple teams shows his unwavering effort. He keeps showing up, doing what he needs to do, and hoping it will continue to earn him a spot on the roster. Obviously Toronto has faith in him, or he wouldn’t be on the court in an elimination game. Hopefully he’s back next year.

While we have a couple months, free agency, the draft, summer league, and a whole bunch of possible changes, what Toronto is building is encouraging. There is a lot of young talent with a lot of heart on this team that has what it takes to contribute on this team in the coming years. Hopefully a couple months of work can help bring them to the next level.