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Markquis Nowell did not hear his name called in the 2023 NBA draft, however, he has signed a two-way contract with the Toronto Raptors, as per Shams Charania of the Athletic.
A two-way contract will allow Nowell to participate in the G-league as well as the NBA for the Raptors.
During Nowell's five-year in college, he spent time with Little Rock and Kansas State. Together, he averaged 14.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 8.3 assists per game, shooting at 38.6% from the field and 35.6% from beyond the arc.
During his time at Kansas, Nowell helped them reach the Elite Eight. In the NCAA tournament, Nowell recorded 19 assists, which was a tournament record.
In this past season, Nowell racked up several awards.
- 2023 Bob Cousy Point Guard Award Winner
- 2023 NCAA East Regional Most Outstanding Player
- 2023 Second Team All-American
- 2023 Third Team All-American
- 2023 Lute Olson National Player of the Year finalist
- Two-time NABC All-District First Team
- Two-time USBWA All-Region First Team
- 2023 All-Big 12 First Team
- Two-time Big 12 All-Defensive Team
Toronto will be delighted with this signing. Nowell could've easily had his name called in the draft and any team would've loved to have his playmaking ability.
The pair of Markquis Nowell and Gradey Dick (a consensus five-star recruit and one of the top players in the 2022 class) could help the Raptors build a good foundation going forward.
Raptors select Gradey Dick as the 13th pick in the 2023 NBA Draft
Gradey Dick is an elite-level draft prospect and Toronto selected him as the 13th pick in the 2023 NBA draft.
Dick is 6-foot-8 and an exceptional shooter. With the Jayhawks, he made 40.3% of his shots beyond the arc, averaging 14.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game.
Dick will add a lot of versatility and offense to the Raptors' roster. His size and shooting ability along with his IQ is a combination that we don't often see in the NBA. He will be especially helpful for Toronto, who could use a ton of help on the offensive end of the court.
Raptors general manager Bobby Webster had this to say about Dick following the pick:
"I think we have talked about finding those big, versatile wings. Those are the hardest to find and maybe this is like a complementary thing to fit around them.
"He's not just a shooter. I think he knows how to play off the ball. He knows how to make backdoor cuts, he can pass well, he rebounds well, so I think he's more of a well-rounded player even though he's probably going to get pegged early as just a shooter."
Webster believes that there is more to Dick's game than shooting alone. Dick could turn into a well-rounded player who can impact both ends of the court with his size and skill. While he is not projected to be a starter, he could still have a noticeable impact for the Raptors off the bench.
