Fresh off his first appearance at NBA All-Star Weekend in the Bay Area, Toronto Raptors sophomore Gradey Dick got a stark reminder of where exactly he’s calling home these days.
“[I’m] coming back to a snowstorm, so it’s a little hard,” Dick said in an interview on Tuesday night.
But while what might be the worst weather he’s seen during his two years in the NBA could get him down, Dick got right back to business at Scotiabank Arena early this week, leading a clinic of 25+ kids as part of the Lay–Up Youth Basketball program.
Surprising the group of kids before taking them on in one-on-one and a series of drills, Dick relished the opportunity as a 21-year-old to be in a leadership role, whether it’s in a clinic or on-court with the Raptors.
“I don’t take it for granted. It’s a blessing to have this platform. So yeah, if I can make an impact and be a role model for some of these kids, you know, that’s really the goal in life, is to impact others,” Dick said.
“In my case, as a younger guy, it’s not always going to be a lot of words and commands and stuff like that. It’s more of just letting my work show. And I feel like that’s how I can step up as a leader.”
The clinic was set up as a partnership between Lay–Up Youth Basketball and Gillette, with Dick being one of the faces of the Best Your Game Can Get campaign, which has included a series of commercials and billboards all over the country.
“Whenever my brothers are here, they always clown me for it, they’re always doing the [shaving motion] face,” Dick laughed. “But the advertising works, so that’s all that matters.”
Dick’s introduction to the Raptors
As a kid growing up in Wichita, Kansas, Dick’s exposure to the basketball world was mostly through the local NCAA teams, namely Wichita State and the University of Kansas which he ultimately ended up attending.
But when he was 10, he went to a preseason game in 2014 hosted by the Oklahoma City Thunder in his hometown along with his family, with none other than the Raptors being the visiting opponent.
“It was the first kind of NBA thing I’d ever went to,” Dick said.
And while seeing his future NBA team in his first game might’ve been a stroke of luck by itself, the story gets even a little bit stranger.
Oddly enough, Dick recently discovered that his first-ever NBA head coach was also on the opposing sideline, with Darko Rajakovic working as an assistant coach for the Thunder, though it’d be another nine years before they’d ever actually meet.
“It’s crazy.”
In a recent video from the team, former Raptors stars DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry spoke about their trip to Wichita. With not too many late-night food options open — and with no car at their disposal — the pair opted to walk to McDonald’s and get a stranger on a motorcycle to go through the drive-thru to get them some fast food.
“I didn’t know they went to McDonald’s, but it sounds about right in Wichita,” Dick laughed.
Dick’s new found love for hockey
Due to his listed height at 6’6″, Dick might’ve always seemed set on making the NBA.
But as a shortstop and a quarterback for his local teams, football and baseball seemed just as viable athletic paths for him as a youngster.
“Going into my eighth-grade year, I was kind of even at all of them and had to pick one of them. And I just had more fun with basketball. And so I just put everything into that, and then play one more year of baseball in high school. I’d say baseball is my second favourite,” Dick said.
And since coming to Toronto in 2023, Dick’s discovered a new passion not as common in his home state: hockey.
“I’ve never been huge into hockey, but since I’ve been out here, I’ve been probably five games now and then. When my siblings come in, my brothers come in, we try to get to hockey and see some fights. That’s what excites us about it,” Dick said.
But while he’s a big fan of watching the games, don’t expect him to be lacing up the skates anytime soon in Toronto.
“I skated a couple [of] times when I was little, but I don’t even think I’m allowed to in the NBA,” Dick said with a laugh. “My mom loves to skate, but it’s not too big on my radar.”
