The Toronto Raptors have to be absolutely thrilled with how the preseason has gone so far. Nick Nurse’s team has been setting the world on fire with a dominant 32-point win against the Utah Jazz and a ferocious comeback victory against the rival Boston Celtics under their belts.
The Raptors could not go 3-0 to start the preseason, as they fell to the Rockets in Houston on Friday night. The loss of Otto Porter Jr. showed, as even the starters could not get anything going from beyond the 3-point line or at the charity stripe against Tari Eason.
The preseason can often be a mirage, as bench players are not going to play like legitimate stars during the regular season. That doesn’t change the fact that the Raptors have to feel much better about the state of their bench now than they did at the start of camp.
These three players have stood out more than anyone else in Toronto’s exhibition schedule, as they have exceeded even the loftiest expectations that fans have set for them. With continued hard work, they will be knocking on the door of the rotation.
3 Toronto Raptors 2022-23 preseason stars
3. PG Dalano Banton
The Raptors added Banton intending to turn this raw defense-first guard into a solid pro player. He had a few cups of coffee in the NBA, but nothing that would signal he is a can’t-miss talent. After a few games, Banton has shown that he would be worthy of an NBA rotation spot on most teams.
Dowtin chipped in nine points and three rebounds against Utah, looking spry and energetic while doing so. He played an instrumental part in helping the Raptors come back against Boston with eight points. Luckily, he’s saved the finest of his first three preseason games for last, with 14 points in 20 minutes against Houston.
Dalano Banton has impressed the Toronto Raptors
Banton has taken advantage of the fact Malachi Flynn has missed the last two games. If the two are still competing for the backup point guard spot, the Nebraska alum has emerged as the clear favorite for this job. He looks like a totally different player.
Banton has physical promise last year, but he was overwhelmed at times by the prospect of being in the NBA. With more composure and consistency under his belt, Banton is setting the stage for a humungous break out if he is given ample runway.
2. SF Josh Jackson
Jackson has been passed around the NBA more than most No. 4 picks, mostly because teams keep believing that they have the secret sauce needed to turn him into a viable NBA backup wing. Many teams have tried, but the Raptors might be the one who finally gets the most out of him.
Jackson scored 10 points against the Jazz and 13 points against the Celtics, as his athleticism and bounce helped Toronto’s offense get hot enough to pull ahead. He didn’t have his best night against the Rockets, but that shouldn’t take the shine off his first two games.
Josh Jackson is showing his athletic ability to the Toronto Raptors.
For all of the criticism Jackson had endured in his career, he has seldom been in an environment that is serious about winning. The pre-Monty-Williams Suns, lowly Kings, and Dwane Casey-coached Pistons are just a few of the teams he has languished on. The Raptors give him a completely different situation.
While Jackson hasn’t officially beaten out Justin Champagnie and D.J. Wilson just yet, he certainly has tons of momentum and fan support at his back. If Jackson doesn’t make the team, his spirited performances in the preseason will help him land a job with another NBA team two seconds after he becomes available.
1. C Christian Koloko
Koloko was drafted with the expectation that he was going to take a while to fully mold into a star. He had defensive skills, but how long would it take to turn the proverbial lemons of his offensive games into lemonade? These three games have shown that Koloko is further along than we anticipated.
Seven points and three rebounds against the Jazz was a good way to start, but finishing with six points and three rebounds while helping Toronto come back against Boston confirms that he is clearly above Khem Birch in the pecking order. His start against Houston was extremely impressive.
Christian Koloko looks like a Toronto Raptors steal.
Koloko recorded three rebounds and four blocked shots in the first half of his start against the Rockets, showing that he didn’t look out of place among a collection of NBA starters. Bruno Fernando isn’t exactly Hakeem Olajuwon, but Koloko was locking him down early on.
His offensive game might not be super versatile just yet, but it’s clearly going to be if he manages to get the right systems in place around him. No matter what happens in the final two games, Koloko looks like a player that Raptors fans should expect to hear more from in the next few years.