One-time dropout now Raps hopeful

Montreal’s Boucher in hunt for roster spot

MONTREAL • Chris Boucher has some simple words of advice for youngsters.

“Never give up on your dreams; always believe in yourself,” said Boucher, who will be returning to Montreal as a member of the Toronto Raptors when they play the Brooklyn Nets in an NBA exhibition game Wednesday at the Bell Centre.

The 25-year-old Boucher, who is battling Eric Moreland for one of the final spots on the Raptors’ roster, is a symbol of perseverance. A one-time high school dropout who was working in the kitchen of a St-hubert restaurant at 16, Boucher has taken a circuitous route to the NBA.

“I’m excited about the game Wednesday because I never played organized basketball in Montreal,” said the six-foot-10, 200-pounder.

He did play soccer and hockey and he fooled around a bit with a basketball on the playgrounds. After scoring 44 points in an AAU game, he was given a chance to attend Alma Academy, which touts itself as North America’s first French basketball academy.

His stay in the Saguenay region opened doors for him. In a game against New Jersey’s Blair Academy, a perennial U.S. high school powerhouse, Boucher scored 29 points and impressed U.S. scouts. He attended junior colleges in New Mexico and Wyoming before arriving at the University of Oregon.

Boucher was projected as a second-round pick in the NBA draft, but a torn ACL ended his final collegiate season. He signed as a free agent with the Golden State Warriors, but played only one game for the NBA champions. He was released earlier this year and signed with the Raptors.

Over the weekend, Raptors coach Nick Nurse said Boucher and Moreland are battling for a two-way spot. That’s a player who can become off the bench and provide a spark at either end of the court.

“I think I can come in and hit (the three-point shot) and I can block shots,” said Boucher, who holds the Oregon record with 110 blocks in a season.

The Raptors were swept by the Cleveland Cavaliers in last year’s playoff, but they are expected to be one of the contenders in the Eastern Conference in the coming season. For starters, the conference has opened up a bit because Lebron James, the former Cavaliers superstar, has moved to the Western Conference with the Los Angeles Lakers.