In a similarly nice, round number to the Toronto Raptors‘ 600 days away from Scotiabank Arena between their final, pre-pandemic home game and home-opening return to Toronto this season, Raptors 905 returns to the Paramount Fine Foods Centre on Thursday for the first time in 610 days.
While they were gone, Toronto’s G League affiliate made the most of their Disney World bubble experience, finishing atop the league standings over the 15-game regular season with a 12-3 mark and even eliminating the much-hyped G League Unite team before falling to the Delaware Blue Coats in the semifinals.
As is often the case in the G League, heavy roster turnover leaves former Mississippi guard Breein Tyree and Kevon Harris as some of the few returnees. Jawun Evans is also back for a second stint after playing in Greece last year.
That said, reigning Executive of the Year Chad Sanders has found some intriguing talent while hitting the reset button. This team should be near the top of the G League standings this season.
Instead of going through everyone, we’re going to focus on the four players that could eventually find their way to the NBA club’s available 15th roster spot and maybe even add to the collection of youth making an impact in Toronto.
Raptors fans, here are four names you might want to get to know. With a few lucky breaks, one of these players could easily end up seeing some time with the NBA team throughout the season.
4 Raptors 905 players that Toronto Raptors fans should know.
Justin Champagnie
Given the potential showcased by former Pitt star during the NBA preseason, it’s safe to acknowledge that 15 total minutes of playing time while riding the Raptors’ bench is not the ideal scenario for the 20-year-old at this stage. As with Malachi Flynn last season, Champagnie could quickly go from NBA afterthought to G League focal point as a rookie.
Expect him to be a fan favorite in Mississauga, where his very Raptor-like two-way game should play well. A lack of shooting prowess kept Champagnie, who the Raptors signed to a two-way contract, from being drafted this past summer, but the 6-6 forward will get the opportunities to improve and exhibits the work rate to address the flaw in his game.
Toronto Raptors rookie Justin Champagnie will improve in Mississauga.
If Champagnie’s shot doesn’t progress as hoped, it might be a marginal disappointment for the big club, but likely won’t interfere with his ability to stay on the floor thank to tenacious defense and a high motor.
Even in his limited NBA role to date, the Raptors organization showed that they are high on Champagnie. Toronto head coach Nick Nurse offered him more minutes than end-of-bench veterans Isaac Bonga and the recently waived Sam Dekker.
While it might be splitting hairs, Nurse offered some hints of what the club sees in the defensive-minded rookie. With a few tweaks on offense, Champagnie could be recalled.
David Johnson
Johnson always seemed like the third wheel of the Raptors’ draft triumvirate, dating back to his absence from the rookies’ introduction to the organization in the summer that Johnson had to miss due to a lack of a passport. While Scottie Barnes and Dalano Banton establish themselves as NBA regulars, Johnson needs to go to Mississauga.
Don’t feel bad for the 20-year-old Louisville guard. He’ll get plenty of chances to prove that he belongs. For now, with both Flynn and Banton up with the big club, those opportunities might come at the point.
David Johnson has plenty of talent for the Toronto Raptors to develop.
Regardless of position, Johnson promises to be among the most intriguing 905ers, at least in part because we haven’t seen what he has to offer. Sold as a slashing 6-5 wing player who reportedly shot the lights out during pre-draft workouts, he got hurt during Summer League and then played sparingly during the preseason.
Now, he gets the chance to prove himself. Johnson’s defensive skills will get him some extra looks from the NBA team. With some more work on his shooting and ability to avoid turning the ball over, the Raptors might be able to promote him to the lineup after just a few weeks in the lower league.
Alex Antetokounmpo
There will be a Raptors jersey with ‘Antetokounmpo’ on the back of it this season! Alex, the youngest of the five Antetokounmpo brothers, will be plying his trade in Mississauga this year. Before you get too hyped up, he’s just not going to be Giannis. Shocking, I know.
Still, the greatness of the Greek Freak obscures the fact that Thanasis is now an NBA regular in Milwaukee and Kostas got a taste of league life before signing in France this past summer. In short, these guys can hoop.
Will Alex Antetokounmpo play for the Toronto Raptors?
What that means for Alex we don’t know. The 6-8 forward fits the Antetokounmpo mold as a long, skinny, athletic forward, but at 20, he remains extremely raw. And no, averaging 3.4 minutes across three games with the Kings’ Summer League squad without scoring a point didn’t exactly offer much insight.
In other words, he’s the perfect 905 project. He has pedigree and size, so why not take a chance and see if one of the league’s premier organizations for development can extract something out of the youngest Antetokounmpo? He’ll surely understand that the name on the back of his jersey will garner him some attention.
Breein Tyree
The 15-game 2020-21 G League season didn’t exactly offer plentiful opportunities at player evaluation, least of which for Tyree, the former Ole Miss standout. The 23-year-old showed some promise during a brief nine-game stint (9.6 points, 43.7% shooting, 33.3% from three) before suffering a season-ending ACL tear.
Sanders and Raptors 905 brass liked what they saw from the guard, as Tyree returns this season when it would’ve been easy to move on rather than wait out an ACL surgery recovery. If Tyree makes strides on the offensive end, he could be one of the leaders on this Raptors 905 team.
Breein Tyree is primed for a resurgent season with Raptors 905.
Now, given the roster churn, he might even be in line for a significant role in the backcourt alongside Champagnie and Johnson with so many inexperienced teammates. The G League is a purely meritocratic space if operated correctly, and that could help Tyree gets the reps he needs.
A slasher with a three-point shot, Tyree brings a skill set that the organization collectively seems a little thin on. He might turn out to be the most important 905 player a large chunk of fans have not heard of yet.