Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
Thaddeus Young is an NBA veteran that many tend to forget about. One of the main reasons for that could be the fact that he spent some time on teams that didn’t make the playoffs like the 2020 Chicago Bulls and the 2021 San Antonio Spurs. However, Young was a crucial veteran for the Toronto Raptors last season after the Spurs sent him to Toronto at the trade deadline.
Young was drafted as a lottery pick in the 2007 Draft and has managed to stay in the league for 16 years despite never being an offensive wizard with a flashy playing style. The power forward became an incredibly solid defender and contributed heavily to playoff teams like the Indiana Pacers.
He doesn’t have the most attractive play, but he has been getting the job done for 16 years. He told a group of young hoopers how he worked his way to getting 4 NBA contracts and having longevity as a player in the league.
“You gotta love this shit. You gonna put your body through torture? And when I say torture, I mean torture, coming into this motherfucker doing two, three, four workouts a day… I’ve been doing this same shit since forever,” Young said. “When I got my first contract? The work just started. When I got to [the NBA]? The work had just started. I got my second contract? The work is still going! Third one? Still going. Fourth one? Still going! You ain’t gotta be a 20-point per game scorer in order to have a 16-year career, let alone a five or a six or seven-year career.”
How Important Will Thaddeus Young Be For The Toronto Raptors In 2022-23?
Young has averaged 12.8 points and 5.8 rebounds in the regular season over his career. This proves that he has been a consistent presence in the league even as he has been aging due to his fundamental skill-set being an extremely valuable one.
Many players can struggle to land roster spots consistently after they hit 30, with the Raptors sending a pick to the Spurs to acquire a 33-year-old Young. He is another name on a list of frontcourt players that the Raptors employ, but won’t get heavy playing time. Young averaged 6.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.7 assists in 26 games for the Raptors in 2021-22.
Despite that, his veteran leadership is going to be crucial for Toronto as they look to build off the success of last season.
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