Toronto Raptors have intriguing prospect in G-League MVP, Chris Boucher

For the second year in a row, the Toronto Raptors 905 have the G-League MVP. Despite only playing 28 games, Chris Boucher was named MVP and Defensive Player of the Year.

When Lorenzo Brown was named G-League MVP last season, it wasn’t much of a surprise. The veteran (for G-League standards) point guard was one of the best players in the league, consistently carrying a limited 905 offense. When Chris Boucher received the award, it was a bit more of a shock.

Not because he didn’t deserve it. When on the court, Chris Boucher was unequivocally the best player in the G-League. Offensively, defensively, wherever, no-one made an impact like Boucher.  But because he only spent 28 games with the G-League squad.

Chris Boucher’s importance to the Raptors franchise was far greater than the typical G-League prospect. As a result, the team needed with the big-league squad (24 games) nearly as much.

That’s what makes this award so impressive. Appearing in approximately 50-percent of the 905’s games (28 of 50), Boucher was still able to make a big enough impact to win both G-League MVP and Defensive Player of the Year.

On the season, he averaged 27.2 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 4.1 blocks per game! Those aren’t even video game numbers. If someone put that statline up in 2K you would be upset. In the 905’s final game of the season, he put up 33 and seven in a loss, going 4-8 from three in the process. Somehow, that felt like a disappointment.

When available, Boucher completely changed the 905 on both sides of the ball. He looked like a man playing among boys. At some level, he became too good for the competition.

Chris Boucher as an NBA prospect

In just his second year out of college, Chris Boucher is a young NBA prospect. As a 26-year-old, he’s not that young. To put that in perspective, Boucher is 2.5 years older than Bruno Caboclo. He’s closer in age to Serge Ibaka and Greg Monroe than he is to OG Anunoby.

However, Chris Boucher isn’t on a normal development path. He didn’t start playing basketball until 2011, at the age of 18. He’s still very raw and still has plenty of room to grow.

At 26, there is a somewhat low ceiling of what Boucher can develop into. However, with his modern skillset, a consistent, rotation player is still well within his possible range of outcomes. Boucher shows flashes of a rim-protecting, floor-spacing, athletic big man. Unfortunately, at this time it continues to only flash.

The biggest growth he can make is on the defensive end. Right now, Boucher is more active than he is good defensively. He’s overzealous attacking every shot and is killed on the second chance opportunities because of it. Of course, his narrow frame doesn’t help in that regard either. Boucher looks as if he is allergic to the weight room, and if he hasn’t gained the weight at this point, it’s fair to question if he will ever bulk up.

Even as frail as he is, Boucher could become a solid defensive player if he just stayed rooted in the fundamentals. In the G-League he is able to take chances and be effective preying on weaker opponents. As he adjusts to the NBA, he’ll need to know where to pick his battles. A difficult adjustment, but certainly not an impossible one.

Offensively, he needs to improve in a couple of areas. First, his shot is somewhat theoretical at this point. Combining both G-League and MVP attempts, Boucher is shooting under 32-percent from deep this season. He’s attempting a lot, and perhaps with an easier diet of shots his percentage will increase, but to call him a legitimate marksman, is still a stretch.

Also, he needs to work on his game inside the arc. In the G-League, Boucher used his extreme length and soft touch to score over opponents. At the NBA level, it’s not as easy.

Boucher needs to develop a couple of standard moves/options, particularly off a quick catch and attacking closeouts. He’s never going to be the first offensive option, but he still needs to develop a wider-scoped game inside the paint.

He has the raw skill set, and now, has shown production in at least some professional setting. Whether it’s all able to click at the NBA-level remains to be seen. At the least, the Raptors have a legitimate NBA prospect in G-League MVP, Chris Boucher.