Raptors Say Gradey Dick is a Willing Listener Eager to Learn from Veteran Teammates

The Toronto Raptors are hoping Garrett Temple's veteran leadership can help mentor Gradey Dick as the preseason approaches

If you see Gradey Dick these days, the chances are Garrett Temple isn’t too far away.

It’s a plan the Toronto Raptors have put together by design. Pair the rookie sharpshooter with the team’s most veteran guard and hope some of that veteran savviness sheds off on the team’s No. 13 pick.

By the sounds of it, the plan is working out nicely.

“He’s the real OG (original gangster),” Dick said of the 37-year-old Temple. “Him, Otto (Porter Jr.), those guys are huge mentors to me right now. … I think it's just huge… just me learning the ropes from him and just trying to take everything that he says and put it into my game.”

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The biggest advice so far is to stay even-keeled. That’s particularly important for a shooter like Dick who is likely to come in off the bench early in the season and see limited shot attempts. If those shots go in, he’ll feel great. If not, he can’t let a couple of disappointing outings ruin his confidence.

What’s clear, though, is Dick is a willing learner. For rookies, understanding that there’s a ton you still don’t know is the first step toward success.

“Obviously he’s young and he’s going to have to learn and continue to get better, but I think the most important thing is he’s willing to listen,” said Pascal Siakam. “When you talk to him, he seems attentive. That’s all you can really ask for.”

It’s going to take some time for the 19-year-old, 6-foot-8, 205-pound wing to get used to the physicality of the NBA game. As he acknowledged Thursday, he’s still growing into his body in a league full of grown men. But he’s ready for that challenge, taking on the advice of the team’s training staff, and working with his older teammates to figure out the tricks of the trade.

Toronto is going to need that from him. Despite his age, the Raptors are counting on Dick to be a contributor when it comes to three-point shooting. He, along with Porter, was mentioned by team president Masai Ujiri as the primary solution to the team’s shooting woes from last season.

Sunday’s preseason opener in Vancouver will be Dick’s first real NBA test outside of Summer League. It’ll undoubtedly come with some jitters, but some help from his veteran teammates should calm the nerves.

“Extremely excited,” Dick said of Sunday. “This is just a testament to all the hard work and everything that's been kind of been paying off. So yeah, I mean, Summer League was an amazing time but it's the real deal now.”

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