Title: Projecting OG Anunoby: How might a higher usage rate affect his efficiency?
Date: October 19, 2020
Original Source: The Athletic
Synopsis: In my latest for The Athletic Toronto, I took a look at OG Anunoby’s development to date and where he may be able to go with higher usage.
It is with good reason that Eric and I wrote about OG Anunoby so much during the NBA’s hiatus and again when the league relaunched. If you were following along before the league shut down, you might remember that it was also the case on the West Coast trip that preceded. It’s not just that Anunoby is a fun, likable player, though that certainly helps.
Instead, it’s because Anunoby is such a big swing piece for the future of the Raptors that made his 2019-20 season such a fascinating study.
In Anunoby, the Raptors have at worst an elite role player, someone who can guard the opposing team’s best players, knock down open 3s and do enough with the ball to at least keep defences honest. Even something like his 20th percentile projection, which would look something like his complicated, up-and-down sophomore season, is a useful piece. And at the other end, Anunoby’s season showed flashes of what, say, an 80th percentile outcome might look like. They were small samples, but within them, Anunoby showed the potential to expand his offensive package and his offensive role, potentially shifting his outlook from elite role player to eventual No. 3.
Blake Murphy Sports Writing 