TORONTO - Nearly eight years ago, the Raptors took a low-risk chance on an intriguing prospect out of Texas when they used a second-round draft pick to
select the position-less P.
San Francisco Giants Jersey .J. Tucker. Tucker, a 6-foot-5, 225-pound bull, had the build of a power forward trapped in
the frame of a shooting guard. By all accounts he was a misfit, destined to end
up in the leagues scrapheap with the vast majority of its second-rounders.
During his rookie season, Tucker played 21 games for Toronto, bouncing back and
forth from the D-League before he was waived by the team less than a year into
his NBA journey. After playing in six countries over the next five years, Tucker
returned to the league and put up career-highs as a 28-year-old starting for the
Phoenix Suns last season. The league has changed and, as a result, so has the
need for players that are able to easily adapt. Enter Iowa State senior and
Toronto-native Melvin Ejim, who is hoping to hear his named called sometime
during the second round in this months draft. Like Tucker and many talented
prospects before him, Ejim has been labeled a "tweener" - a hybrid player stuck
in between positions as a result of size, strength or skill set. For a long
time, the term carried a negative connotation in NBA circles. Who will he
defend? How does he fit in? Now its become the norm. Tweeners, combo guards,
stretch fours. As teams continue to challenge the defence with smaller, quicker
lineups, the NBA is evolving into a league void of prototypical positions. On
Thursday, the Miami Heat will begin their pursuit of a third consecutive title
led by LeBron James, perhaps the most unique basketball player weve ever seen,
capable of playing and guarding four or five positions on the floor at a high
level. Last week, Oklahoma City was eliminated in the Western Conference Finals
with three point guards on the court together down the stretch of Game 6. The
team that ousted them and Miamis opponent in the Finals, the Spurs possess the
versatility to match up with almost any style of play, thanks in large part to
their versatile wings - Kawhi Leonard, Danny Green and Boris Diaw. Ultimately,
what position you play is less important than the underlying question - can you
play? At 6-foot-6, 220 pounds, Ejim is confident that theres a place for him and
his well-rounded game on an NBA team. "I think it depends on how you look at the
word tweener," he said following Wednesday mornings pre-draft workout in the
Raptors practice facility at the Air Canada Centre. "If you see it as a valuable
thing, then I think that I bring a lot of stuff. I think that Im a small forward
and I bring versatility to be able to defend bigger guys, I have a strong body
that can do a lot of things defensively. Then offensively [Im] versatile, can
shoot the ball and play inside and out. And if you dont consider those good
things, then I guess tweeners a bad thing." Ejim, the Big 12 Conference player
of the year, has fully embraced his basketball identity. "Its better than being
called a glue guy," he said of the tweener label. "Ive yet to see anyone say,
yo, youre a tweener, we dont really do tweeners over here," Ejim joked. "And
honestly, its not even about being a tweener, its about being a player. If youre
somebody that can go out and play basketball on different levels and play at
different positions, then youre valuable, youre a good player." Following
Tuesdays auditions, a pair of combo guards, Jordan Clarkson and Nick Johnson -
also expected to go in the second round - echoed a similar sentiment.
Versatility will also be a valuable commodity when the Raptors make their
first-round selection at pick no. 20. UCLAs Kyle Anderson is a point guard in a
6-foot-9 body, athletic Clemson product K.J. McDaniels can defend multiple
positions, while NC States T.J. Warren projects as a versatile and
unconventional scorer. All three wing players are expected to workout in Toronto
later this week. "Its almost a positive in todays game," said Dan Tolzman,
director of scouting for the Raptors. "You want the flexibility that if a team
goes big against you, you have the ability to just shift guys over a spot and
keep your best players out there. I think the same goes the other way. If guys
go small, youd like to have perimeter players that can bang down low and can
rebound hard when youre in a small ball game. I think its just the progression
of the game." Working out alongside fellow Canadian Khem Birch, a
Montreal-native out of UNLV, Ejim impressed the Raptors, not only with his
versatility and commitment to defence but with his approach, maturity and
professionalism. "He came in [wearing] slacks and a nice button-down shirt,"
Tolzman said of Ejim. "He looked like he was coming to an interview and I think
that clearly it resonates with us because this is a professional job interview
for these guys." With a couple second-round picks at 37 and 59, the Raptors
could consider selecting the hometown product, who would be a welcomed addition
within Dwane Caseys system. Although his skill set continues to fly under the
radar in a talented, wing-heavy draft class, its not hard to envision him
catching on with a team and working his way into a rotation, not unlike Tucker
in Phoenix. "His niche in my opinion will be as a defensive player," Tolzman
said. "Hes a strong defender and I think the level of intensity he plays with
bodes well for guys that focus on defence because when they give their all, they
impact the game somehow, even if their shots not there."
Willie Mays Jersey . Canadas Kaillie Humphries and Heather Moyse will reunite at this weekends season-opening World
Cup at Canada Olympic Park as they begin their buildup to the Winter Games in
Sochi.
Bruce Bochy Jersey . None of them are Finlands Pekka Rinne, who stands as Canadas biggest challenge in Thursdays
quarter-final round. Even while a young Finnish team has struggled with
penalties, turnovers and a lack of offensive depth, Rinne has been a rock with a
1.TORONTO -- For once, expectations are sky high at the start of Toronto FC
training camp. A team that has long been the MLS doormat --Toronto has won six,
nine, 10, nine, six, five, and six games since coming into the league in 2007 --
enters the 2014 season as a shooting star thanks to the hoopla over high-priced
signings Jermain Defoe, Michael Bradley and Giberto. "Its a bloody big deal" is
the already tired slogan around the acquisition of England striker Defoe. But
the atmosphere is unmistakable. "Theres a buzz," said general manager Tim
Bezbatchenko. The players started arriving late this week and most trained
indoors Friday, although manager Ryan Nelsen did not involve those who were are
the recent Canadian national team camp in Florida. He also gave Bradley a pass,
given his recent involvement in Serie A. "Michaels had a lot of football,"
Nelsen said. "He doesnt need it now. He just probably needs a little rest."
Captain Steven Caldwell sat out with a minor calf knock while the club waited on
visa paperwork for Brazils Gilberto and Jackson. Toronto leaves Sunday for
Florida. The 31-year-old Defoe will remain with Englands Tottenham until the end
of February. Toronto opens the season March 15 in Seattle. Nelsen says the team
will give Defoe time to bed in when he gets here. "We have to be very careful
and we have to judge it. Hes here for four years, its not like were going to
rush him back, patch him up if we have to and throw him out on the field. We
have to think long-term. "So when hes ready to play, hell be ready to play. If
thats Game 1, then brilliant. If its Game 4, so be it." In his second year on
the job, the 36-year-old Nelsen finds himself in a totally different situation.
He arrived last year with minimal knowledge of the talent that awaited him. He
has the squad of his choice largely in place this time. "In all honesty I
thought it might take a couple of years to get to the situation where we are
right now," said Nelsen. There was short-term pain for long-term gain last
season. Some 27 players came in -- if you count Israeli defender Tal Ben Haim
whose loan deal from QPR never quite happened -- and 26 exited. The revolving
door has slowed ahead of 2014 but those coming in have been quality additions.
The three DPs are joined by American Justin Morrow and Englands Bradley Orr on
defence, Jackson and Canadian star Dwayne De Rosario in midfield and teenage
Canadian forward Jordan Hamilton. The team still has some roster work to do on
the status of Argentine midfielder Matias Laba and English fullback Richard
Eckersley. Laba is in camp while Eckersley, with the teams blessing, is not.
Laba also has a designated player deeal, meaning Toronto is one over the three
DP limit.
Will Clark Giants Jersey. So the club has to find a way to restructure his contract or move him on. The club likes the
Argentine, who at 22 has many years ahead on him. Heres guessing the team finds
a way to farm him out without losing track of him. Eckersley is a victim -- sort
of -- of a rich contract that grew fatter this year when the team was forced to
restructure his deal to help ease its salary cap burden last season. Toronto
could take a one-time contract buyout to get out from under the Eckersley
contract burden without taking a salary cap hit. Toronto can also reach a
settlement with Eckersley or deal him while eating some of the contract, which
would impact the cap. Other MLS teams are unlikely to take Eckersley at his
current number. Still, Bezbatchenko is confident he can find a way. Given his
background as a former MLS insider and the leagues seemingly fluid rules, he is
likely to succeed. When it comes to his starting lineup, Nelsen often says his
players -- not him -- pick the team with their performance on the pitch. When
all his pieces are in place, one would expect a likely starting 11 of Joe Bendik
in goal behind a backline of Morrow, Caldwell, Canadian Doneil Henry and Orr, a
midfield of Jackson, Bradley, De Rosario (or fellow Canadian Jonathan Osorio)
and Alvaro Rey with Gilberto and Defoe up front. Its a good-looking team sheet,
although the rest of the roster is young. Nelsen likes what he sees but is
realistic. He knows it takes time to turn around a franchise and establish a
winning culture. "It doesnt matter who you put out on the field, the clubs got
to learn how to win ... we know weve got a long way to go." Nelsen adds: "I say
that with one side of my face. The other side says if theres a group of guys
that can live up to any expectations, I feel like these guys will really enjoy
it and will enjoy the pressure. "It will be different for them because we will
have a target on our back. Everybody will want to beat us. Everybody wanted to
play us because they knew they could beat us in the past. Now theyll want to
play us because they will want to try to prove a point to beat us. "Its a
different mentality and its going to be difficult. But its a lovely challenge to
be in." A one-year partnership with the North Carolina-based Wilmington
Hammerheads of the USL Pro League gives TFC a place to give some of its younger
talent a chance to play. Toronto may also look to loan a player within MLS.
Bezbatchenko was part of the process in getting the newly installed loan format
approved while he was working in the league office. Canadian international Issey
Nakajima-Farran is in the Toronto camp on trial.
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