Gradey Dick Talks Adjusting to NBA 3-Point Line as He Reaches 10-Game Mark

For all the goofiness and enthusiasm that Gradey Dick exudes off the court, he’s about as calm as they come on it.

It’s why he’s remained so levelheaded through what's been an up-and-down first 10 games of the season for the Toronto Raptors. He'll admit that still learning a ton about how to play at the highest level. That means adjusting first of all to the speed, pace, and space of the game, but it almost means getting used to a deeper three-point line in the NBA.

So far this year, Dick is 7-for-26 from three-point range. It’s a tiny sample size, but certainly not one anyone likely expected considering his reputation as a sharpshooter coming into the league. If you include Summer League and preseason games, he’s shooting just 32.4% from three-point range.

“The biggest change obviously is just the distance,” Dick said of the NBA three-point line that’s four inches deeper than the college three. “When you first start shooting from a different distance, it’ll take a little bit to get used to, but I think (if) you do it enough and you get used to it.”

Dick said he’s spending plenty of time after practice alone in the gym working on his shot as he gets accustomed to the changes. It’s those extra reps that he’s hoping allow him to find consistency.

On Monday, he did knock down a pair of big three-pointers for Toronto, first on a kick-out pass from a Pascal Siakam post-up, and later a corner three-pointer after a Siakam drive-and-kick for a catch-and-shoot three. The one game raised his shooting percentage by 52 points.

The trouble has just been the sample size. Considering Dick’s role in the rotation, he’s not likely to get an extended look with multiple opportunities to shoot threes. He’s only attempted more than three threes in two of his 10 games this season and that’s resulted in a few 0-for-2 nights that haven’t helped his percentages.

“My dad and mom told me at a young age the importance of not letting people see your emotions,” Dick said. “If you're up (or) you're down. And then ultimately (that) doesn't show weakness to your opponents but also doesn't let you get in your own head and think about what you just did in the last possession.”

There are some changes the Raptors are hoping Dick will make as the game slows down for him. For one, they'd like a few more paint touches even if that requires a little more dribbling from the 19-year-old. There are opportunities that Dick is passing up, Raptors coach Darko Rajaković said, when he's just letting it fly after just one dribble.

That will all come with time and reps. These first 10 games have been a learning experience for Dick and, from what he's shown so far, he's more than willing to keep on working.