It certainly hurts Raptors fans not to see their sophomore guard, Gradey Dick, emerge victorious from the Rising Stars game and advance to Sunday's All-Star Game. However, given his stellar performance, it should be considered a win regardless.
The 21-year-old Dick would suit up for Team T in honor of Warriors legend and one-third of the Run TMC trio, Tim Hardaway. Dick's teammates on Team T included the top two 2024 picks, Zaccharie Risacher and Alex Sarr, as well as Magic forward Tristan Da Silva. Opposing them in the semifinal matchup would be Team C, headed by Chris Mullin, and featuring top rookie talents like Stephon Castle, Zach Edey, and Jaylen Wells.
Gradey Dick makes the most of his Rising Stars game appearance
Dick would play a total of 12 minutes and 39 seconds for Team T, the most on his team, and his first foray into NBA All-Star Weekend certainly didn't produce a dud for the Raptors' young gun. Dick showcased his shooting prowess, recording a team-high 12 points on 71% shooting from the field and knocking down two of his three shots from beyond the arc.
As mentioned at the start, Dick's team would fall short to Team C, with a final tally of 40-34 in favor of Castle, Keyonte George, and company.
The underdog Team G League upset Team M (for Mitch Richmond) with a one-point, 40-39 win in the other semifinal matchup. Ultimately, Team C prevailed, beating Team G League 25-14 in the final to win the Rising Stars game. As per the new rules of the Rising Stars Challenge, the winning squad will go on to be represented in the NBA's latest tweak to their All-Star Game format, with a four-team tournament set to take place.
Dick had one more chance, despite the loss, to make the All-Star festivities on Sunday with WNBA legend Candace Parker allowed to select one additional player from a losing team to add to the talent pool. However, Parker would instead opt for standout Rockets youngster Amen Thompson, who shined in his own right for Team M, notching 11 points on 83% field goal shooting, two rebounds, and two assists.
Needless to say, the Raptors were well represented by Dick in his Rising Stars game outing, and hopefully, he can continue this trend of success as Toronto embarks on its final stretch of the 2024-25 campaign. The Raptors are set to resume regular-season action post-All-Star break on February 21 when they take on the Miami Heat at home.