The Toronto Raptors draft just got much more interesting over the last few weeks, as Masai Ujiri went from one first-round pick that as rooted firmly in the 20s to a selection that could end up giving the Raptors the top pick in the entire draft if the ping-pong balls bounce their way. Could the next Raptors star be hiding in plain sight in the NCAA Tournament?
Well, don’t be so sure Ujiri will draft a March Madness hero. In fact, plenty of traditional powers, like Duke and Kentucky, will watch the tournament at home on TV like the rest of us.
While some poor team play and some COVID-19 bad luck, in some cases, made it difficult for some of those schools to make it to the Big Dance. That shouldn’t overshadow their tremendous individual efforts.
The Raptors are in need of a big man that can help them in the paint, a point guard that can take some of the offensive burden off of Fred VanVleet, and a do-it-all scorer that can operate from virtually anywhere on the floor.
Will the Raptors draft one of these 3 forgotten prospects?
Masai Ujiri hasn’t had a draft pick this high in his time with the Raptors, meaning that he could get the chance to draft a true franchise-changer. Adding a second-round pick, somehow, and drafting some promising developmental players Nick Nurse can mold into stars.
Keep a sharp eye on these three prospects, as they might get their NBA starts up in Canada with the Raptors.
Raptors draft target No. 3: Trayce Jackson-Davis, PF/C, Indiana
Jackson-Davis wasn’t able to lead deposed coach Archie Miller and the Hoosiers to the tournament, but he was rock-solid in the paint. Jackson-Davis averaged 19.1 points and 9.0 rebounds per game this season, all the while shooting 52% from the floor.
Despite going up against a murderer’s row of big men in the Big Ten, Jackson-Davis held his own, all the while showing some refinement with regards to his post finishing and interior defense that are uncommon for a sophomore in college.
Jackson-Davis is a very limited offensive player, and a 6-9 player with barely any sort of jump shot or face-up game might not be attractive to most teams. However, if Nurse gives him the same shooting instructions he gave Chris Boucher, TJD might become a contributor for Toronto.
How would Trayce Jackson-Davis help the Toronto Raptors?
The Raptors don’t need a game-changing offensive big man, that’s why they have Pascal Siakam. All they need on the inside is someone that can finish off dunks and jump hooks while making rebounding a tad more fearsome than the feckless collection of centers they have in 2020-21 have been able to do.
Jackson-Davis, the son of former Indiana Pacers star Dale Davis, will need to develop a more varied offensive game if he wants to have a long career in this league, but a coaching staff that helped make Siakam one of the game’s best should have no issues making him a more feared offensive player.
Raptors draft target No. 2: Sharife Cooper, PG, Auburn
How you view Cooper’s freshman season with the Tigers will determine if you are a pessimist or an optimist. If you’re pessimistic, you’ll point to the fact that he made just 39% of his shots and 23% of his 3-point shots as a sign that the 6-1 point guard was simply a volume scorer.
If you’re an optimist, you’ll single out the fact that Cooper averaged 20.2 points per game, the exact same number that Cade Cunningham averaged, while grabbing 4.3 rebounds and dishing out 8.1 assists per game, a number that would’ve ranked second overall in the nation if he qualified.
Cooper appears to be a prototypical slashing point guard that is equally skilled in creating offense for others as he is finishing at the rim. Doesn’t that sound like the ideal replacement for Kyle Lowry if he leaves?
How would Sharife Cooper help the Toronto Raptors?
The Raptors would need to find a way to reign in this wild stallion of a point guard, as his shot selection has frequently been called into question. On a team like Toronto that won’t force him to do everything on offense, the 5-star recruit could really blossom.
As a rookie, look for Cooper to compete with Malachi Flynn for playing time while playing like a more traditional penetrating point guard. Once his offensive game expands and his defense improves, Cooper has legit All-Star potential.
Raptors draft target No. 1: Jalen Johnson, SF/PF, Duke
Johnson decided to opt out of the remainder of the 2020-21 season when it became clear that the Blue Devils weren’t going to be in the postseason. While some scouts might have an issue with that, anyone who takes that seriously is overthinking things, as Johnson looks like a star in the making.
Johnson played in just 13 games, averaging 11.2 points per game and 6.1 rebounds per contest. His 1.4 steals and blocks per game show that he can have an impact on the defensive end. His 44% percentage from 3-point range proves that his much-maligned 3-point shot is improving.
Johnson will likely end up going somewhere near the fringes of the lottery, though he could go higher if teams end up getting sold on his two-way potential. Johnson looks like a perfect fit for the Raptors.
How would Jalen Johnson help the Toronto Raptors?
While OG Anunoby might look like a perfect two-way forward given his improving offensive game, Johnson’s ceiling is much higher on that side of the floor. A 6-9 power forward with the ability to handle the ball and operate down in the post, Johnson is a very unique offensive talent.
His opt-out might actually help the Raptors out, as doing so could help Johnson slide to a point in the draft where Toronto can select him without trading up. Johnson is going to have a long NBA career, and Ujiri could make sure that career starts in Toronto.