Hoosiers in the Pros: 5 Things to Know About OG Anunoby
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — The NBA season begins on Tuesday, and once again there will be a significant presence of former Indiana players around the league. Today we take a look at OG Anunoby, who's turned into a very important piece for the Toronto Raptors.
The 6-foot-7 forward has helped the Raptors win a world championship, and he's filled a big role after the departure of MVP Kawhi Leonard. Because of that, he was rewarded with a four-year, $72 million contract extension on Monday, according to multiple reports.
Here is the second part of our series, with five things to know about OG Anunoby:
1. Locked in at new location
After being drafted 23rd overall in the 2017 NBA Draft, former Hoosier OG Anunoby is entering his fourth season with the Raptors, and his new contract shows how much the Raptors appreciate all that he's done so far.
The Raptors have won a world championship in 2019 and surprised most everyone in the league last year by contending again, even after losing Leonard. Anunoby is a key piece in their starting lineup and they should be able to contend again in the Eastern Conference, though they'll have to do it far from home.
Because of travel restrictions in and out of Canada, the Raptors are playing their home games in Tampa, Fla., to start the season. That will add some wrinkles to their usual routine, but they'll still be contenders again with a veteran team loaded with talent.
The Raptors open the season on Wednesday in Tampa against the New Orleans Pelicans.
2. Sharpshooter
Anunoby shot a career-high 39 percent from three-point range last season, which has been a pleasant surprise. He came into the NBA as someone who was known as a superb defender, and when his shot would start to fall, the Raptors knew he could become a top-notch two-way player.
Right off the bat during his rookie season, he shot 37 percent from three-point range and proved that he could make a long career for himself in that role. He's also proven to be more than just that. He attacked the basket at an efficient rate last season, shooting over 58 percent on two-point from shots.
3. He's a winner
Anunoby is coming off of a season where the Raptors went 53-19 in the regular season and made the second round of the NBA Playoffs.
Through his first three NBA seasons, he's made the playoffs all three times with two trips to the second round and that world championship in 2019. Having a ring is a wonderful thing.
4. Increased role
In his first season with the Raptors, the team had All-Star DeMar Derozan, and after the team lost Kawhi Leonard upon their championship season, his role became greater last season as he averaged nearly 30 minutes per game. His role will likely continue to expand.
Each of his three seasons in the NBA shows improvement in points, rebounds and blocks per game. A year ago, he averaged 10.6 points and 5.3 rebounds per game.
5. Defensive stopper
Anunoby has proven to be one of the premier defenders in the NBA on the perimeter and the ball.
Last season, he averaged nearly 1.5 steals per game (a career-high), and with increased minutes, his production will likely continue on that end.
The 6-foot-7 forward is typically guarding the opposing team's best player, and without him doing that, the Raptors would not have been able to have the success they had in past seasons.
Ultimately, he has a chance to be an All-NBA defender this season.
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