
Jamison Battle has earned a spot on the Toronto Raptors one ladder rung at a time
It was Battle's first time in Europe, but he wasn't there to party-hop to Ibiza.
'I think I remember the pace of the game just being so much different than it was in summer league,' Battle told The Athletic on Sunday afternoon, before his Toronto Raptors lost 94-87 to the Houston Rockets. He recalled what it was like to play against a roster full of NBA players as opposed to the rosters you see in Las Vegas in July. 'And your eyes are kind of wide open. And you're like, 'OK, let's just settle down and … take a step back and just understand that this is a different game.''
Advertisement
Battle has been good at finding the correct pace quickly. Dating to April's Portsmouth Invitational Tournament in Virginia, an event for players on the periphery of the NBA draft process, Battle has been working almost nonstop to get his next opportunity after the end of his collegiate career.
Thursday after the trade deadline, Battle got a phone call from his agent Aaron Klevan telling him he had climbed the latest rung of his personal ladder: After a flurry of moves left the Raptors with an open roster spot, the team handed Battle a three-year deal on the main squad.
'I was like, 'Oh, really? Wow.' I took a (moment),' Battle said. 'I was pretty excited for that. And then I called my mom. And then the next day in shootaround, Darko (Rajaković, the Raptors' coach) congratulated me and told everyone in front of the team. It was a pretty, pretty surreal moment to achieve your dreams.'
'I'm proud of him,' Raptors guard Immanuel Quickley said. 'That's my little rook right there.'
Two days later, Battle said he is back to his routine, as 'complacency gets you out of this league pretty fast,' but he deserves the moment to take stock. The 23-year-old shooting wing's journey to this moment has been unlikely: three schools in five seasons in college, a stop in Portsmouth, the draft workout circuit, an invitation to summer league from the Raptors, an Exhibit 10 contract that earned him a spot in training camp, winning a two-way contract in camp and, finally, a spot on the Raptors proper.
'Honestly, I had no expectations going in,' Battle said of the pre-draft process.
The deal is partially guaranteed for next year and contains a team option for 2026-27, according to a team source. Assistant general manager Dan Tolzman said the Raptors had seen Battle multiple times over the last few years when scouting higher-profile players. They liked his combination of shooting and size. Raptors 905 GM/Raptors director of prospect strategy Luke Winn and amateur scouting specialist Aleem Hassanali interviewed him in Portsmouth.
Advertisement
'He had been interesting as a shooter beforehand. And then getting to know him, you saw there's a lot to this guy,' Tolzman said courtside at the Toyota Center Sunday afternoon. 'He's a really smart, well-rounded human being. It piques your interest even more. Bring him (to Toronto) for the draft workout — he played extremely well in that setting, too, and again checks all the boxes in terms of everything more so than on the court. Early on in that process, he became a high-priority guy for us in the event that he (went) undrafted.'
That's what happened, as the Raptors guessed. Teams don't generally use draft picks, even second-rounders, on older prospects who project to be role players.
Meanwhile, Battle and his representatives identified the Raptors as a team with whom he'd have a chance to make his mark due to their lack of shooting. After that, all Battle did was make shots: 9 of 15 3s in Las Vegas, followed by 8 of 14 in the preseason to take the two-way spot from Carlson.
He got an early shot at regular minutes with the Raptors this season because of the team's myriad injuries, and has shot better than 42 percent from 3. He has also shot 47.1 percent in 15 games in the G League.
'I've never been highly recruited,' Battle said. 'I've never been highly sought after. My mantra is head down, work hard, stay present in the moment. You can only control what you can control. And that's what I live by. That's what I've done. It's got me here so far. I'm going to continue to do it. Obviously, you get a contract and it feels rewarding, but it's just the beginning because there's so much more that you want. Obviously (I'll) take a step back and realize that this is a huge deal.'
• Immanuel Quickley had four turnovers against the Rockets, but this was his best effort since he returned from a groin injury. He had 20 points, 18 of which came in the first half, eight rebounds and two assists. He was as aggressive in looking for his shot as he has been all year.
.@IQ_GodSon : 20 PTS | 8 REB pic.twitter.com/rabQNpNQh3
— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) February 9, 2025
'The only way to really get rhythm back, get that conditioning back is to play,' Quickley said. 'There's nothing else that can simulate that. … I feel like I'm getting better and better.'
• This is a year for development. With that in mind, Scottie Barnes should attempt his share of 3s. However, his process needs to be more rigorous than it has been lately. Barnes checked in after a bench-heavy lineup surrendered a 10-point lineup in the second quarter and quickly took a top-of-the-key 3 off of no passes. It was open, but there is a time and place for that shot when you are having a poor season from 3. The Raptors have often said Barnes sets the tone for them, but that cannot only be on defence. Barnes is shooting 26.6 percent from 3 on the year after going 0-for-8 on Sunday.
Advertisement
• This was a homecoming for Jamal Shead, who was the collegiate defensive player of the year at the University of Houston last year. The Raptors held practice at the school Saturday. Rajaković said one of Shead's areas for growth is driving to the left, and he got a layup after shifting to that side to go against the Rockets. He had 14 points in 19 minutes.
• Gradey Dick left the game near the end of the first half with a neck contusion suffered when he fell to the floor after an attempt in transition. Ja'Kobe Walter started in his place in the second half. The Raptors said Dick cleared initial concussion testing.
• Speaking of which, RJ Barrett is still in concussion protocol after developing symptoms Monday. He rejoined the team over the weekend in Houston, and Rajaković said he has a chance to play before the All-Star break. The Raptors play in Philadelphia on Tuesday before playing the Cleveland Cavaliers in Toronto on Wednesday.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Indianapolis Star
9 minutes ago
- Indianapolis Star
Take our IndyStar Pacers Update newsletter survey
The 2024-25 NBA season was a historic one for the Indiana Pacers. Indiana went to a Game 7 in the NBA Finals, but ultimately fell short of the title. With Tyrese Haliburton out next season and Myles Turner off to play for the Milwaukee Bucks, what will the Pacers look like in 2025-26? To cover everything there is to know about the Pacers and the NBA, we have our Pacers Update newsletter. Our dedicated reporter, Dustin Dopirak, leads the Pacers coverage for the IndyStar.


USA Today
37 minutes ago
- USA Today
Former Sixers guard Shake Milton signs deal overseas in Belgrade
Former Philadelphia 76ers guard Shake Milton has found a new basketball home. After spending the 2024-25 season with the Brooklyn Nets and the Los Angeles Lakers, Milton will reportedly head overseas to sign with Partizan Belgrade. Milton spent his first five seasons with the Sixers averaging 9.3 points, 2.7 assists, and 2.4 rebounds off the bench. He finished 12th in 6th Man of the Year voting in the 2020-21 season when he averaged 13.0 points in the first year of the Doc Rivers era. The former No. 54 pick in 2018 averaged 5.5 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in 2024-25 split between the Nets and the Lakers. He will now look to continue his basketball career in Belgrade. Milton is an NBA player, but there just doesn't appear to be a spot for him in the league. One has to believe he will eventually work his back to the NBA and earn a spot back in a team's rotation.


Black America Web
an hour ago
- Black America Web
Taylor Rooks Secretly Getting Married Leaves X Hilariously Heartbroken & Crashing Out
Source: Aaron M. Sprecher / Getty The men of social media have collectively fallen to their knees because —sorry to say it— a woman they never had a chance with is officially off the market. Sports reporter Taylor Rooks announced Wednesday night that she recently got married, taking to Instagram to drop a photo carousel of the night's events. 'What a night. This is love,' she captioned the post alongside the ring emoji and tagged everyone that helped the day come together— including her photographer, makeup artist, and stylist. The photos showcased the ceremony, including shots with family, friends, and, given the nature of her job in sports media, several stars were in attendance. Guests included Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagle Saquon Barkley, rapper Jack Harlow, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green, Lala, Coco Jones, Ella Mai, Donovan Mitchell, and Fanatics CEO and founder Michael Rubin. As public a gig as Rooks has, she's managed to keep her personal life under wraps, and that includes not tagging her new husband, and in fact, the only reason we know his name is because the wedding's menu is included in the post, and it reads 'Taylor & Shane.' Congratulations are also in order for a major change in Rooks' professional life after holding jobs for TNT and Thursday Night Football . Now, she's moving on up as the new host for Prime Video's NBA coverage once Amazon's media rights deal kicks off with the league ahead of the 2025-26 season, and she's got some certified veterans in Dirk Nowitzki and Blake Griffin to help her out. 'I'm thrilled to continue to grow my role at Prime Video and help shape their NBA coverage from the ground up,' Rooks said in a statement. 'With the addition of legends like Dirk and Blake, we're not just building a show, we are crafting an experience that will be entertaining and truly special for basketball fans. This is a career milestone for me, and I'm incredibly excited to share my love and passion for this game with NBA fans all over the world.' Rooks is one of the most beloved sports reporters, with social media constantly drooling over her and even a running joke among athletes making nearly impossible claims about their talent in her presence, like a young Jaylen Brown telling her he'd have five championships by the time he's 28. Social media is not only shocked that Rooks is cuffed, but she kept her relationship status private for this long, so they're straight-up heartbroken. See the crash out happening currently below. Taylor Rooks Secretly Getting Married Leaves X Hilariously Heartbroken & Crashing Out was originally published on