OG Anunoby Stays Mum on Finger Injury But Hopeful Week of Left-Handed Drills Helps

The Toronto Raptors are hopeful OG Anunoby's finger injury can be a blessing in disguise after a week of only left-handed training

This past week was a learning experience for OG Anunoby.

The Toronto Raptors forward suffered a mysterious laceration on his right index finger. He declined to reveal what caused the injury but did say it was serious enough to require five stitches. It forced him to wear a wrap on his finger last week and do virtually everything with his left hand.

For Anunoby, an elite three-point shooter and offensive role player, who has struggled with his dribbling at times, the experience was different. He was forced to dribble exclusively with his left hand, shoot threes exclusively with his non-dominant hand, and practice even the most rudimentary skill work all without the help of his shooting hand.

What it’ll do for Anunoby’s future is unclear, but Toronto is optimistic it’ll help.

“There was an interesting study,” Raptors coach Darko Rajaković said last week. “Right-handed people when they work on their left hand, improving their left hand, there is something in the left-right hemisphere that not where the right hand is improving at the same time. For left-handed people, when they start working on their right hand, their left hand loses some skill while the right hand is developing. That’s why you’re going to see left-handed shooters, they’re actually much better dribbling the ball with their right hand.”

For Anunoby, Rajaković’s research was intriguing and, hopefully, accurate in his situation.

“I thought he was onto something,” Anunoby said. “I liked it.”

Don’t expect Anunoby to start shooting his threes left-handed or anything, but the 26-year-old did say he wants to use those skills he worked on with his left hand in games this year.

So while it may take some time for Anunoby to get back into game shape and feel completely comfortable with his stitched-up finger, maybe the time off will turn out to be a blessing in disguise.