A recent Bleacher Report list by author Greg Swartz titled "Every NBA Team's Hidden Gem Who Needs More Respect" dropped, and as the headline suggests, it uncovered one secret standout from each team in the league. These players might not get as much praise and recognition as their star counterparts.
Getting to the Toronto Raptors' inclusion on this list, the player in question couldn't have been a more fitting choice — it's Sandro Mamukelashvili.
Sandro Mamukelashvili named Raptors' hidden gem on recent Bleacher Report list
Swartz wrote in his piece: "Sandro Mamukelashvili previously established himself as a quality backup big with the San Antonio Spurs and is now having the best season of his career in Toronto with the Raptors."
It's not often the Raptors can sway free agents to join their team, but they lucked out big-time by acquiring Sandro Mamukelashvili on an extremely team-friendly deal, worth just over $5 million for two years with a player option clause. Considering how low-risk/high-reward this acquisition appeared on paper, it was difficult to imagine a scenario in which it wouldn't be a major win for them.
It certainly didn’t hurt that Mamukelashvili quickly won over Raptors fans with his passion and enthusiasm. He showed a genuine desire to be part of a winning culture and fully embraces the team’s vision, and continues to express that sentiment as the season played out.
His play has only reinforced the idea that Mamukelashvili might be one of the Raptors' best acquisitions in recent history. Mamu has been a key spark off the bench for Toronto all season, and even in the handful of games where he's started, his impressive contributions haven’t diminished in the slightest. If anything, he seems to shine even brighter in those moments, averaging 16.0 points on 55.7 percent shooting, 42.6 percent from three, along with 6.6 rebounds and 2.9 assists. The Raptors are 7-4 when Mamukelashvili starts, which highlights his value to the team even in an enchanced role.
Overall on the season, Mamukelashvili earned every right to average his 22.5 minutes per night. He's posting 11.4 points on 52.5 percent shooting and 38.3 percent from three, along with 5.0 rebounds and 1.9 assists.
Fans had the right intuition in seeing Mamukelashvili as a hidden gem in the making. As the season unfolded, he proved that such a label was fully justified. Now, as mainstream media begins to recognize players who leave a tremendous impact beyond their name and popularity, it’s especially meaningful for Raptors Nation to see Mamukelashvili highlighted for his consistent effort.
The next step in this journey is figuring out if and how the Raptors can approach Sandro Mamukelashvili’s future with the team. As Swartz wraps up his thoughts on Mamukelashvili in the piece: "Mamukelashvili has played well enough that he'll almost certainly turn down his $2.8 million player option next season while looking for a significant raise."