Raptors’ Patterson sets sights on starting spot
Power forward working on low-post game, as he looks to fill void left by Amir Johnson
At the close of the Raptors Basketball at Humber College, power forward Patrick Patterson played Q&A with 130 or so preteen day campers, who asked about everything from his favourite teammate (DeMar DeRozan) to his favourite NBA city (Toronto, naturally).
And then came a question both direct and pertinent.
“How did you feel when Amir Johnson left,” the camper asked.
In his answer, Patterson, entering his second full season as a Raptor, mentioned his friendship with Johnson, who signed with the Boston Celtics this off-season. And though he was sad to see a friend leave the team, he said he understood Johnson’s time to move on had arrived.
He didn’t mention it, but Johnson’s departure also represents an opportunity.
In an NBA career that spans five seasons, Patterson has played in 333 games but started only 65, including 11 in a season and a half with the Raptors. But barring major changes between now and training camp, the Raptors’ starting power forward job, once filled by Johnson, is Patterson’s to lose.
The 26-year-old has never started a season as a club’s No. 1 power forward and he says he is embracing the chance.
But he’s still ready to compete for the job
“Realistically, that’s the one role that’s not filled yet,” said Patterson, who averaged 8.0 points and 5.3 rebounds a game last season.
“I see it as it’s mine to lose . . . But it’s all about what coach (Dwane) Casey wants, what (general manager) Masai (Ujiri) sees, and who works hard and who earns it.”
“Realistically, that’s the one role that’s not filled yet. I see it as it’s mine to lose.” PATRICK PATTERSON ON THE POSSIBILITY OF BECOMING A STARTER FOR THE RAPTORS
After a first-round playoff loss to the Washington Wizards in April, the Raptors have undertaken an off-season makeover aimed at tightening the team’s defence.
Indifferent defenders such as Greivis Vasquez and Lou Williams are out; committed stoppers such as DeMarre Carroll and Cory Joseph are in. Three weeks ago the Raptors signed Luis Scola, a defensive-minded veteran who should share time at power forward with Patterson. Scola has already shared wisdom with Patterson, who says the Argentine was a mentor when they were teammates in Houston.
“He was someone I tried to take a couple of moves from and model my game after,” Patterson said.
“I learned work ethic. He was always the first one in and the last one to leave, getting up shots after practice, getting treatment . . . Trying to mimic all those skills that he portrays every single game.”
Patterson says he spent the early part of the off-season travelling, visiting England and Croatia before settling into his training routine at P3 Sports, a high-performance training facility in Santa Barbara, Calif.
He says the possibility of logging more minutes as a starter hasn’t changed how he will prepare for the season, saying instead that he heads into every summer looking to add an element to his game. Last summer, he worked on scoring off the dribble and this year he aims to improve his offence in the low post.
“Each year it’s something different depending on what I needed the previous season,” he said.