The Toronto Raptors might have found a hidden gem in Jamison Battle.
It’s been a while since the Raptors snagged an undrafted player in the free agent market who turned into a quality rotation player.
Although Battle is still unproven, he has made positive strides. With Gradey Dick out with a calf contusion, Battle got extended run and made the most out of the opportunity.
The 23-year-old is coming off the best performance of his career. He put up 24 points in 22 minutes on 9-for-11 shooting from the field and 6-for-8 shooting from deep.
“I really like the effort he’s putting in day in and day out. Every time I talk to him his eyes are wide open, he’s focused, he’s listening and he’s really trying everything that we are coaching and teaching to go out there on the court and do it,” Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic said. “I think we got something really special with him.”
Following his outing against the Pelicans, Battle is now shooting 43.3 percent from three. Beyond his on-court game, Battle seems like a composed and mature person.
“One of the big things I like to do is journal,” Battle said when asked about what he does to keep his mind fresh. “I think that’s one thing I love to do is read back and reflect on times that I’ve gone through and I have times from two years ago at Minnesota, I have times from last year at Ohio State and I have times from now where I can just sit there and read.”
Battle still has to show improvement on defense to earn regular playing time, however, his shooting alone is a skillset the Raptors could certainly use moving forward.
3 takeaways from Raptors blowout win over Pelicans
The Toronto Raptors picked up their first road win of the season as they defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 119-93.
Here are 3 takeaways from the game.
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