Toronto Raptors: What is OG Anunoby’s potential?
OG Anunoby proved to be vital for the Toronto Raptors in his rookie season. Where will he go from here?
The Toronto Raptors selected OG Anunoby with the 23rd pick in the 2017 NBA draft. Anunoby started 62 games in his rookie season and became one of the team’s primary perimeter defenders and three-point shooters.
In his rookie season, he exceeded expectations and projects to be a large part of the Toronto Raptors moving forward.
OG Anunoby averaged 5.9 points per game to go along with two and a half rebounds and under one assist. This seems rather underwhelming at first, but when compared to high-profile players around the league with similar athletic ability and play style, it seems rather fitting.
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When you think about high-profile two-way players across the league, you think of names such as Paul George, Jimmy Butler, and the Raptors own Kawhi Leonard. All three of these players flew under the radar on draft night and became steals of their relative drafts.
Each of these two-way stars played insignificant roles in their rookie seasons, and they progressed quickly to stardom. If OG Anunoby is to follow suit, then the future is bright.
Raptors fans know all too well what Anunoby brings to the team. He is an explosive wing player who can stretch the floor and guard multiple positions, but ultimately he brings much more than that.
He proved to be incredibly efficient during his rookie campaign, shooting 47.1-percent from the field. This percentage was the highest among guards and wings on the Raptors roster last season. He also shot 37.1-percent from three-point range, which proved to be one of the highest on the team.
Playoff Performances
OG Anunoby was very effective with his minimal shot attempts during the regular season, but his playoff statistics are what jump off the page. He increased his field goal percentage up to 55.8-percent and his three-point percentage from 37.1-percent in the regular season to 44.8-percent. He also increased his free throw percentage by almost ten percent.
He also played a key role as one of the team’s primary wing defenders. He spent large portions of his games covering elite offensive players such as Lebron James during the playoffs and did a pretty good job considering. During the Raptors playoff run, Anunoby seemingly raised his level of play across the board.
The young Raptors player will likely take on an even larger role during the 2018-19 season. It’s unclear what his primary position will be this season, as he could potentially start at the power forward position alongside Kawhi Leonard at the three, or he could become a large piece of the Raptors bench mob. Raptors fans should expect him to take a leap forward this season, but how large will that leap be?
With Kawhi Leonard on the team, Anunoby could take look to him for guidance and use him as a mentor. Anunoby could take a back seat role with less pressure on his shoulders while taking in as much knowledge and information as he can from arguably the most elite two-way player in the league. With similar skill sets and abilities, this could be a match made in heaven for OG Anunoby.
A couple possible paths
The future is bright for Anunoby, and you can expect him to be a large part of the Raptors plans going forward. Under the right guidance and leadership, he could follow the same career path as two-way superstars in Paul George, Jimmy Butler, and Kawhi Leonard.
This would be an absolute best case scenario for the young athletic wing. Not many envision this happening, but then again nobody expected George, Butler or Leonard to reach the levels in which they did, so it is impossible to say this is out of the question.
The floor for OG Anunoby’s potential is a three-and-D type role player. He would still be an effective player with the ability to have a long prosperous career with the Toronto Raptors or any other NBA franchise. He would remain a complimentary piece to a competitive team. You can think along the lines of players such as Trevor Ariza or Robert Covington.
It is far more likely that OG Anunoby will continue to improve for the next several seasons and become an all-star caliber player. Amongst the Toronto Raptors young players, Anunoby shows the most promise.
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The team will provide him with everything in their power to maximize his performance and future outlook. Given Anunoby’s strong work ethic, athletic ability, and his skill set, it is not out of the question to consider OG Anunoby a future NBA all-star.