New Raptor ‘good fit’ at home
NBA: T.J. Ford believes Spurs-trained guard Joseph will integrate well with Lowry
“If anyone deserves the honour of playing in the NBA and at home, it’s (Cory Joseph).”
— Todd Simon
T.J. Ford has about as good a read on Toronto’s new point guard tandem as anyone.
That’s because the former Raptor standout once mentored freeagent signee Cory Joseph and forged a close relationship with incumbent starter Kyle Lowry through four years of hard off-season training.
“I really like the combination and I think they did a good job and I think it’s a good fit,” Ford said Monday over the phone from Charlotte, N.C., where he is helping with a basketball camp.
Joseph, a native of Pickering, Ont., agreed to a four-year, $30-million US deal to join the Raptors late Sunday and it will become official on Thursday.
At first glance, it seems like a stunning figure for a player who has mostly served as a third-string or backup point guard in San Antonio, but the cap is going way up and Joseph has delivered whenever given the opportunity and got better every year, partly because of his work ethic and partly because he was with the Spurs, the NBA’s model organization in terms of player development.
Ford doesn’t think the Raptors will be disappointed.
“It’s worth it, he put the time into it, I’ll tell you,” Ford said.
“I always knew Cory could play, he did a really good job when he was at the University of Texas and we all kind of felt like he would be an NBA player, probably be a high pick if he had come back another year, but he felt it would be best to take his talents to the NBA. He just worked at it man, I was just fortunate to be around it my last year playing, guiding and mentoring him and just watching his work ethic and teaching him things he didn’t know.”
Spinal woes ended Ford’s career prematurely and his final season came in 2011-12 with the Spurs.
Joseph impressed him immediately.
“He had his mind made up and he was determined to prove to people that he was an NBA player and that’s the mentality that you’ve got to have. He was a good listener and a really great kid. At the end of the day he’s a great person, great individual.”
Joseph has had strong mentors like Tony Parker, Ford, Manu Ginobili and Canada Basketball general manager Steve Nash, who he has kept in close contact with over the years. Not a bad group to study under.
Not every player can deal with the distractions of toiling at home either — the familial obligations, the tickets, the constant demands, but everyone who knows Joseph believes he will have no issues there.
His exposure will grow and the pressure will mount, but you can bet Joseph is looking forward to the challenge.
“If you can’t play with the lights on, then when can you play?” Joseph had said before his first taste of the NBA finals a couple of years ago.
“If anyone deserves the honour of playing in the NBA and at home, it’s him,” said Todd Simon, the UNLV assistant who coached Joseph at Findlay Prep in Nevada before he went to Texas.
“He truly loves Toronto. Such a special person.”
Ford, who said his best years came when he was a Raptor (he averaged 13.2 points and 7.2 assists in those two campaigns), said Joseph coming to play in Toronto should only increase the number of standout players Canada produces in the future.
“It gives everyone in Canada hope. It gives them a realistic opportunity to feel like they can make it and guys are doing it at a high rate right now,” he said.
“Seeing these guys making it at the level they’re making it at has to be refreshing not only for Toronto, but for the entire country. Canadian basketball is catching up and they’re producing a lot of good athletes and a lot of good players and definitely getting recognized for it. Those guys are the pioneers to kind of create that way for them.”
Ford believes Joseph and Lowry will complement each other well.
“He’s playing alongside a great individual as well and a good friend of mine in Kyle Lowry. He’s getting another veteran guy who can continue to give him some guidance, give him some leadership and a great guy to follow, because (Lowry’s) work ethic is great just as well,” Ford said.
“Kyle’s a great guy, he’s just a competitor, he plays hard, is going to give you everything he has every night. I’m sure he’s going to be perfect for Cory as well and I think Cory will be perfect for him because he gives him a legitimate backup where he can take little breaks and get some rest.
“It’s a good fit for (Joseph) and a good opportunity to be back home. Every athlete would love to get back home and play in front of their family and obviously he’s been able to do that just once a year.”