Nowell

16/02/2024 15:52

TORONTO — NBA All-Star weekend is set to begin on Friday night in Indiana, and the Toronto Raptors organization will be well represented.

Most fans know Scottie Barnes was selected as an All-Star for the first time in his career when he was chosen to be an injury replacement player by NBA commissioner Adam Silver himself.

What some fans may not be privy to is that Barnes is one of two players from the organization to be highlighted throughout the festivities.

Markquis Nowell, an undrafted rookie guard on a two-way deal with the Raptors, was voted into the NBA G League’s Up Next game, which takes place on Sunday. It’s the development league’s version of an All-Star event, and Nowell is the first player in Raptors 905 history to be voted in.

The 24-year-old’s status for the game is uncertain as he’s battling a lingering hamstring injury, but he does plan on being in attendance regardless.

"It's a blessing," Nowell said on the selection. "Being a rookie and being in the G League, it's a great experience, and to be named one of the top guys in the G League … it's a testament to my hard work and I'm truly happy."

With All-Star weekend providing a break for both the NBA and the G League, it’s not only a good time to dive into the season Nowell has had, but also an opportunity to think about what Toronto can make of the guard and some other thriving 905ers down the stretch.

The Raptors are 12th in the Eastern Conference, hold a 19-36 record, and post-season aspirations appear to be quite the long shot. Which raises the question, what are they going to focus on for the remaining third of the schedule?

Part of the plan appears to be an effort to get back to their player development roots, which used to be a pillar for the organization to lean on.

In previous years, Toronto had a knack for evaluating talent and then using the 905 system to cultivate those players into NBA-level contributors. Think of Pascal Siakam (27th pick), Norman Powell (46th) and an undrafted Fred VanVleet, all of whom spent time in the G League before thriving on the big stage.

Which could be part of why, when the Raptors were left with two open roster spots after the trade deadline and general manager Bobby Webster was asked about those vacancies, he said they would "bring in some guys, take shots on free agents, scour the G League … we’ll definitely use those roster spots"

Toronto hasn't been able to replicate that string of development success in a while, and getting back to what worked in the past could bode well for a franchise looking to create a strong foundation after hitting the reset button a couple of weeks ago.

Nowell’s case for a call-up revolves around the fact that Toronto traded away backup point guard Dennis Schroder to the Brooklyn Nets and immediately waived returning player and potential replacement, Spencer Dinwiddie. Currently, when Immanuel Quickley sits, the reserve facilitator role falls upon a combination of Barnes and Bruce Brown Jr.

Meanwhile, Nowell, the 905’s starting point guard, has averaged 15.3 points, 8.9 assists (tied for third in the G League) and 3.4 rebounds this season.

His pedigree as a floor general had been well-documented before his 905 tenure, as evidenced by the Bob Cousy award he earned during his senior season at Kansas State. The hardware that recognized Nowell as the top men's collegiate point guard in 2023 was previously won by the likes of NBA All-Stars Ja Morant, Jalen Brunson and Kemba Walker.

What's even more impressive is the fact that he's done all this as one of the shortest players in the league at five-foot-seven.

To some, his height may feel like an obstacle for the NBA level, but for Nowell, it's barely limited him.

On offence, he's scoring on more than 50 per cent of his attempts within five feet of the rim, and when he hasn't been able to get to the paint, his efficiency from deep more than suffices, as he's shot nearly 37 per cent from distance on 6.9 attempts a game.

If you're worried about defence, he's averaging 1.9 steals (tied for eighth in the G League) and in college, he was a 2023 Big 12 All-Defensive team selection.

Just ask 905 head coach Eric Khoury what he thinks of Nowell's ability on that end.

"Obviously, his playmaking is as good as anyone's in the league, but his defence is awesome," Khoury said. "Every night, the opposing point guard's in for a long night, he's picking them up full court … making them uncomfortable."

An undrafted and undersized point guard who can orchestrate an offence at a high level, and shows no signs of fear when defending players bigger than him … sound familiar, Raptors fans?

Javon Freeman-Liberty, an elite scorer

For what it’s worth, Nowell isn't the only 905 guard to have a strong case for an NBA call-up post-All-Star break. The team's leading scorer, Javon Freeman-Liberty, has lit up the G League.

Some of you may even recognize the DePaul product from earlier this season, when he was the Raptors leading scorer in a pre-season game against the Cairns Taipans on Oct. 15. He dropped 15 points in less than 15 minutes off the bench while going 7-for-11 from the field.

For the 905, Freeman-Liberty has averaged 22.9 points (eighth in the G League, fifth amongst guards), 6.8 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.2 steals. He's had four 30-point games this season and dropped a G League career high of 40 points on Jan. 9.

He's got a knack for creating advantages on the court through the use of his elite speed and willingness to get downhill. Coach Khoury describes Freeman-Liberty as an "unbelievable paint-touch player" who can either go strong to the rim or kick the ball out to his teammates when open.

The 24-year-old has also developed his game off the ball with the 905 as teams have begun keying in on him due to his potent offence.

He’s used the added attention and gravity he possesses to become a more prominent cutter off the ball, work teammates open with strong screen-setting and develop his catch-and-shoot game from deep.

Whether Nowell or Freeman-Liberty get a crack at a backup guard spot is going to come down to what the front office’s vision is down the stretch, but the pair have done well to at least show why they deserve a chance.

Justise Winslow is versatility personified

Nowell and Freeman-Liberty aren’t the only 905ers worth mentioning. In fact, Justise Winslow and Mouhamadou Gueye might have a case for more attention given the fact that the Raptors signed the pair of forwards to 10-day contracts on Feb. 10.

Winslow, the 10th-overall pick in the 2015 draft, has plenty of NBA experience (four teams through eight seasons), but his lack of health has limited his obvious upside.

The 27-year-old Duke product has played in just 344 games during his NBA career and hasn’t surpassed 48 games in a season since 2018-19.

However, since recovering from ankle surgery and making his debut with the 905 this season, Winslow has not only stayed healthy, he’s reminded people just how much he can do on a basketball court.

The 905's net rating is 21 points better with Winslow on the court versus off, and their defence allows 17 fewer points with him anchoring things.

His greatest strength remains his ability to defend practically every position on the court, and he’s ranked ninth in the G League with a 100.8 defensive rating.

The Raptors are particularly in search of a point-of-attack defender to limit perimeter players and stop downhill penetration, as OG Anunoby did for Toronto before being traded to New York.

Winslow, with his three stocks (steals and blocks) a game, would fit that mould as well as anyone within the organization.

Outside of his defence, the counting stats aren't gaudy, by any means, as he’s averaged 16.6 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists with the 905, but for him, it’s never been about the numbers.

His focus has always been on making winning plays, which he believes there is an “infinite amount of” that can be made during a game — a mindset he credits picking up while under the tutelage of Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra during his first few years in the NBA.

“(Justise) does whatever it takes to win,” Winslow said, using the third person, when Sportsnet asked him to encapsulate all the things he does on the court. “A team player, he’s unselfish, and he’s all about winning.”

Mouhamadou Gueye, a jump-off-the-screen athlete

Meanwhile, Gueye is an archetype of player fans should be familiar with. He's a near-identical match to Chris Boucher stylistically.

Both players are the same height (six-foot-nine), similar weight (around 200 pounds) and use their lanky athleticism (seven-foot wing spans) to wreak havoc on the court.

The 25-year-old has averaged 14.3 points and 8.4 rebounds on 52.1 per cent shooting from the field, with the 905.

Like Boucher, Gueye is a viable lob threat, times his cuts to the basket with near-perfection, and provides a highlight-worthy play almost every game.

Also like Boucher, he sometimes parks himself behind the three-point line, despite being only a 20 per cent shooter from long range and can get trigger-happy.

On the defensive end, Gueye demonstrates a knack for swatting shots. The big man has averaged 2.4 blocks during the G League regular season, and since January, he's had eight games with three or more blocks.

His ability also seems to translate well at the next level as he recorded two blocks through just six minutes of play on Monday against the San Antonio Spurs, which was his first taste of NBA action.

Gueye also scored his first basket and grabbed three rebounds in the short stint.

There’s no certainty any of Nowell, Freeman-Liberty, Winslow, or Gueye fill out those final roster spots for the remaining 27 games of the season, but the work they've put in at the G League level has made it hard to ignore the possibility.

Keep in mind, there’s also the fact that Toronto has four upcoming free agents this off-season, five if you count Quickley's restricted free agency, and six if the Raptors don’t pick up Brown Jr.'s club option.

The point is, there are a lot of decisions that need to be made surrounding the roster this off-season, and each of those players who are potentially coming off the book, the team has seen play at the NBA level.

What they don't know yet is if one of these 905ers is their next diamond in the rough — like a Siakam or a Vanvleet — and there's really only one way to find out.