Chris Boucher FaceTiming mom after signing Raptors deal is great

The Toronto Raptors were very busy in the first few hours of free agency. Even before they made sure Thad Young returned to Canada for the 2022-23 season, the Raptors agreed to a deal with Chris Boucher. This deal is a culmination of one of the most unlikely success stories in the league.

After dropping out of high school at age 16 to wash dishes and bouncing around multiple junior colleges, the Raptors eventually picked up Boucher and developed from a solid G League talent into a proven NBA rotation player. After hitting free agency, Toronto gave him the long-term security he was looking for.

Boucher agreed to a three-year, $35 million contract that will keep him in Toronto until 2025. This had to be a humungous thrill for Boucher and his family, as Masai Ujiri’s wheeling and dealing helped him deservedly secure generational wealth for him and his family.

Uninterrupted Canada posted a video of Boucher asking his mom and his aunt if they heard that he resined for such a lucrative eight-figure sum. Considering the insurmountable odds that he has to overcome even to make it to the NBA, this payday has been quite a long time coming.

https://twitter.com/UNCanada/status/1544033944471060480

Chris Boucher and his family celebrated his Toronto Raptors contract.

After starting to wiggle onto the Toronto bench in the title-winning season of 2019, Boucher averaged 11.2 points and 6.4 rebounds over the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons as one of the first men off the bench. Boucher overcame a slow start last year by performing well down the stretch and in the postseason.

Despite being 6-8, his skinny frame and willingness to vacillate between different positions on the defensive end are what really sets him apart from his contemporaries. No wonder so many teams with championship aspirations were hot on Boucher’s tail.

https://twitter.com/UNCanada/status/1542634944064901120

This deal is perfect for Boucher. Not only is he getting just under $12 million per year (which is in line with some of the top average annual values for power forwards), but he is getting the security of a three-year contract. Returning to his familiar role in Toronto seemed to appeal to Boucher.

We may not see a story quite like Boucher’s winding tale for decades to come, and the Raptors saw fit to reward their quirky star with a contract befitting a player that has overcome so many trials and tribulations in his career. Boucher will be a crucial cog in Toronto’s hopeful climb back to the top of the NBA.