Latest news with #UlrichChomche
Toronto Sun
6 days ago
- Sport
- Toronto Sun
Young Raptors Ja'Kobe Walter, Chomche, Murray-Boyles coming along nicely in Vegas
Considerably progress has been made by Toronto sophomores, while first-rounder had his moments. Get the latest from Ryan Wolstat straight to your inbox Memphis Grizzlies centre Zach Edey handles the ball against Toronto Raptors' Ulrich Chomche during a game last year. AP Photo The Toronto Raptors are undefeated in Las Vegas, with the latest win coming 101-97 over Denver on Tuesday night. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account That's two straight close victories now after the opening night annihilation of Chicago. The play of second-year guard Ja'Kobe Walter really stood out against the Nuggets, but his fellow 2024 draft classmate Ulrich Chomche — the youngest player amongst that crop — continues to impress with how far he has come compared to last summer. Here are some takeaways through three games This corner has repeated often the belief that Walter has a chance to be a really good NBA player and he has shown little in Vegas to disprove us of the notion. He has averaged 18 points in 24 minutes a game (he averaged 11.6 in 24 minutes last summer), had seven steals against Denver and has also been active on the glass. Walter has been strong defensively, like most of his teammates, and looks the part of a strong two-way player. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. About the only thing you could quibble with is that Walter hasn't shown much growth as a creator for others. He has only two assists and eight turnovers in the three games. But on a team with Scottie Barnes, Brandon Ingram and Jakob Poeltl all able to blend play-making and scoring, in addition to the guards who can do that, we're not sure Walter will really need to do much table-setting. They will need pull-up three-point shooters (Immanuel Quickley and Ingram will be keys, but they need more beyond that) and Walter was hot on those types of shots on Tuesday. He looked comfortable pulling up against Denver and that needs to continue. 'Ja'Kobe, he's a pup. And what I mean by that is, physically, he's going to continue to grow mature, but all the natural talent ability is there,' Baylor coach Scott Drew had told us last July. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Walter has put on some muscle and it shows in how he's absorbing contact and getting in for rebounds. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Prized rookie Collin Murray-Boyles looked more settled in his second game, which makes sense. A couple days earlier, he was playing for the first time in weeks after getting hurt during the pre-draft process, so the rust he showed was typical of a break like that. After picking up eight fouls and five turnovers in his debut, MB only committed two fouls and had one turnover. MB also had three assists, including a nice one setting up a Walter three-pointer, another leading to a Walter layup off a nice cut and the other a casual flick to Walter for a three-pointer. You also notice how the big man really gets after defensive rebounds. MB only had a couple in the game, but he clears out tons of space to grab them with his frame and saw him push both teammate and opponent out of the way. His swishing of a three-point attempt was notable too, given that's seen as his main weakness. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Chomche still is a teenager until Dec. 30, but he doesn't really look like it anymore on the court. That's a huge change from last July and from throughout his first season with Raptors 905 when he often looked, fittingly, like a deer in the headlights many nights as he tried to start to understand a sport he only has been playing since age 11. The Cameroonian looks far more natural, especially on defence — his bread and butter and the reason Raptors staffers were so intrigued by him as a prospect. But Chomche's timing also is improving on offence. He made an impressive play in the first quarter that led to a bucket. Chomche was being boxed out behind Toronto's free-throw line when a Raptor attempted a three-point shot. It's not often one gets an offensive rebound starting from that position, but Chomche moved 240-pound E.J. Liddell out of the way to grab it, then patiently pumped-fake the defender to the air, was fouled (without a call) and softly hit a soft jumper. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Later, Chomche tried to get the ball in the paint, but was looked off despite being pretty open. He made sure to back out to not get called for three in the key and beat three Nuggets for an offensive rebound, put the ball in and this time got a foul call. Finally, Chomche had his bench going absolutely berserk after blocking a shot, running the other way and getting the ball just over halfcourt, dribbling calmly into the paint before wrapping a pass around to MB for a dunk. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Sandro Mamukelashvili has played centre 62% of the time over his 191 NBA games, but also plenty of power forward. Maybe with he and the improved Chomche in the fold, Poeltl will get a bit more rest from the career-high 29.6 minutes he averaged last season. They provide very different elements to Toronto's bench with outside shooting and passing from Mamukelashvili, and defence, rebounding and rim scoring from Chomche. Jamal Shead deserves some recognition for his play and tone-setting over the three games, most notably against Denver. The young veteran is way too good for summer league, the way Fred VanVleet used to be. A.J. Lawson remains a certified bucket-getter. Read More This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Oklahoma City will be a heavy favourite to repeat as NBA champion, but don't sleep on the Nuggets. Sophomore centre DaRon Holmes really impressed against Toronto on Tuesday. He missed his entire rookie year after tearing his Achilles in Vegas, but should give the bench a boost. Backup power forward and centre has long been an issue with Denver, but now the league's best player Nikola Jokic (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander deserved to win MVP, but Jokic remains the premier player and one of the best ever) will have veteran Jonas Valanciunas (assuming his situation gets resolved and he doesn't head to Europe) and Holmes behind him. Plus, Denver added shooters Cam Johnson and Tim Hardaway Jr., brought back Bruce Brown and youngsters like Christian Braun, Peyton Watson and Julian Strawther keep getting better. Add in a healthy Jamal Murray and this group stacks up with anyone. 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National Post
6 days ago
- Sport
- National Post
Young Raptors Ja'Kobe Walter, Chomche, Murray-Boyles coming along nicely in Vegas
The Toronto Raptors are undefeated in Las Vegas, with the latest win coming 101-97 over Denver on Tuesday night. Article content That's two straight close victories now after the opening night annihilation of Chicago. Article content Article content The play of second-year guard Ja'Kobe Walter really stood out against the Nuggets, but his fellow 2024 draft classmate Ulrich Chomche — the youngest player amongst that crop — continues to impress with how far he has come compared to last summer. Article content This corner has repeated often the belief that Walter has a chance to be a really good NBA player and he has shown little in Vegas to disprove us of the notion. Article content He has averaged 18 points in 24 minutes a game (he averaged 11.6 in 24 minutes last summer), had seven steals against Denver and has also been active on the glass. Walter has been strong defensively, like most of his teammates, and looks the part of a strong two-way player. Article content About the only thing you could quibble with is that Walter hasn't shown much growth as a creator for others. He has only two assists and eight turnovers in the three games. Article content But on a team with Scottie Barnes, Brandon Ingram and Jakob Poeltl all able to blend play-making and scoring, in addition to the guards who can do that, we're not sure Walter will really need to do much table-setting. Article content They will need pull-up three-point shooters (Immanuel Quickley and Ingram will be keys, but they need more beyond that) and Walter was hot on those types of shots on Tuesday. He looked comfortable pulling up against Denver and that needs to continue. Article content Article content Ja'Kobe Walter did a little bit of everything in the @Raptors win tonight in Vegas! 🦖 26 points 🦖 7 steals 🦖 4 rebounds 🦖 4 triples — NBA (@NBA) July 16, 2025
Toronto Star
15-07-2025
- Sport
- Toronto Star
Raptors prospect Ulrich Chomche opening eyes at Summer League: ‘I'm seeing the progress'
LAS VEGAS—No one expects Ulrich Chomche to become a consistent NBA player this season, least alone the Raptors, but the strides the teenage big man has taken should foster good feelings for his long-term future. His game in Las Vegas is more fluid, more instinctual, more relaxed. He moves at the pace of the game rather than being overwhelmed by it. It's as if all the plans the Raptors laid out for the 19-year-old Cameroonian centre are playing out perfectly.
New York Times
14-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Five things I learned from Raptors at Summer League, including Ulrich Chomche's promise
LAS VEGAS — Ulrich Chomche was standing in the middle of the visitors locker room in Philadelphia's Wells Fargo Center last February, obviously delighted to have played a role in a Toronto Raptors road win. Those were rare enough last year. However, to win in Philadelphia, against his countryman Joel Embiid, soaking up a few possessions guarding the former MVP, had to be cool. Chomche had just two rebounds and a block in 12 minutes, but he played meaningful minutes. He was the subject of a media scrum for his efforts. Advertisement Those were his last minutes of the season. The 57th pick in the 2024 draft suffered a partial proximal ACL tear within the week and lost out on some guaranteed minutes as the Raptors got creative late in the year with their lineups. Chomche has already learned to turn the negative into positive. 'I've been working on my touch, catching the ball and finishing at the rim,' he said on Sunday at Las Vegas Summer League when asked what he was able to do during his rehab. 'I've been watching video of Yao (Ming) setting screens.' It's paying off. The Raptors gave him a two-year, two-way contract last summer, knowing he would need time to level up from the NBA Academy to the G League, never mind being able to play in the best league in the world. In his second Summer League, Chomche, who boasts a 7-foot-4 wingspan, has looked much better. In his 42 minutes in two wins, the Raptors have outscored their opponents by 29 points. He's tallied 19 points, 10 rebounds, six steals and two blocks. Last year in Summer League, Chomche looked like the uber-raw rookie he was. In his first game action since the injury, he has looked a lot more comfortable. He has played almost exclusively drop coverage, but that makes his enormous frame tough to navigate. His limbs are in passing and driving lanes. He doesn't automatically try to block everything, sometimes prioritizing maintaining rebounding position. If he can't grab rebounds, he at least gets a hand on them to give a teammate a chance. He is not Jakob Poeltl as a handoff hub or screener, but he is making simple reads. He was strong enough to catch a desperation alley-oop pass from Ja'Kobe Walter in traffic against the Bulls on Friday, drawing a foul. In his second game, he found Walter from the elbow for a layup against the Magic. .@UlrichChomche14 IN TRANSITION 💪 — Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) July 12, 2025 Against the Bulls, he even sealed David Muoka under the net, caught a post pass and turned for a quick hook shot. He blocked Muoka on the other end after a defensive breakdown. 'He's learned a lot,' Jonathan Mogbo said of Chomche, who doesn't turn 20 until the end of the year. 'Age is just a number. With him, we try to treat him as a grown man. He's taking bit by bit everyday.' Advertisement Halfway through his deal, Chomche has a chance to become a player. Here is what else has emerged at Summer League. The following on-court actions got the entire Raptors bench to rise from their seats, clap and sometimes even holler. • Walter leaping about to try to cause a five-second violation on the inbound. The Raptors, by the way, are counting down from five to give the referee some unwanted help. • Colin Castleton and Jamal Shead both hitting the floor for a loose ball. • Alijah Martin causing a Bulls guard to turn twice as he dribbled up past half court. • Shead not letting a Bulls guard get it over the timeline in eight seconds. In that case, Shead turned right for his bench to celebrate with his teammates. An extra Raptor or two might have stepped on the court from the bench. The assistant coaches need to get on that. Oh: All that happened in the first quarter of the Raptors' first game. 'That's my first time getting out with them on the defensive end,' Raptors first-round pick Collin Murray Boyles, who had been dealing with a leg injury, said on Sunday. 'I love it. I love the intensity. The energy is contagious and that's what helps any team.' 'This is what I just told a group: some people are born to be models, like me,' Raptors Summer League head coach James Wade added. 'Some people are born to be firemen. Some people are born to be policemen. That group in the locker room, they're born to play defense. So they have to really buy into it.' They turned their opponents over 55 times through two games. It seems like they have bought in. Assuming the Raptors start their five eight-figure players, three of the top options coming off the bench will be shooting guards, more or less: Ochai Agbaji, Gradey Dick and Walter. Advertisement Injuries will open up opportunities for all of them to play, but it might be a tight squeeze early on. Walter is the least experienced and therefore the Raptors have the most time to decide on him, but he arrived in Vegas looking different — and it's not just the departed braids. Darko Rajaković noted that Walter put on '12 pounds of muscle' between the end of the season and now. While all such claims should be met with skepticism, Walter showed some extra functional strength dribbling, and as he rose for layups. 'You can see it, right? He's come in a little bit stronger, bigger,' Wade said. 'Body's ready to absorb more punishment. Even though he wasn't as big last year, he played very physical. We saw it. Now, his body is caught up to his game.' To that point, Walter hit a short midrange jumper through contact to break a late tie against Orlando. The Raptors didn't trail again. There will likely be room for two but not three of those wings in the rotation. He's not in the final year of his rookie deal like Agbaji or a former lottery pick like Dick, but Walter has a chance to be the most complete of the three. If Alijah Martin were 6-4 instead of 6-1, he might have been a top-half first-round pick instead of the 39th selection. The Raptors took Martin in the second round, surprisingly signing him to a two-way contract instead of a main roster spot. Martin isn't a true point guard, making his path to a regular spot in the league more difficult. He is going to make his way onto some top-10 packages. He might be the most explosive Raptors rookie since Terrence Ross, taken 13 years ago. 'Y'all see that dunk, right? OK. Yeah,' Mogbo said Friday. He was referring to an absolute crowning of Muoka. THE REPLAY EVEN BETTER CHAT. CHILLLLLLLL @martin_alijah 😱 — Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) July 12, 2025 'He's an explosive player,' Mogbo continued. 'He's on the rim. He brings a lot to the table: energy, defence, just brings a lot. He's a little Energizer bunny.' Martin is either going to go from a solid to a great shooter or add some more ballhandling skills to become a regular. While he tries to figure that out, he will be fun to watch. Advertisement If one Raptor looked too good for Summer League early on, it was Jonathan Mogbo. The 2024 second-round pick went 7 of 8 from the field against the Bulls, and then helped the Raptors shake off a dicey start against the Magic, finishing with 12 points and eight rebounds. When the Raptors took Murray-Boyles with the ninth pick last month, Mogbo seemed like the natural man out. How many non-shooting non-centres can a team play? Mogbo's agility and ability in transition, however, could keep him on the court while Murray-Boyles acclimates. 'I feel like it's a challenge for me, guarding the best players out there,' Mogbo said. 'I'm not backing off from any challenge. So whoever it is, I'm ready to guard, ready to play, fear nobody.' Murray-Boyles missed the Raptors' first game because of an adductor strain. He played against the Magic, a shaky first outing. He had a nice stint in the third quarter with a block on one end and a putback dunk on the other. #9 pick Collin Murray-Boyles is making PLAYS on both ends for the @Raptors 🙌#NBA2KSummerLeague on ESPN2 — NBA (@NBA) July 13, 2025
Reuters
19-02-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Raptors rookie Ulrich Chomche (knee) out for season
February 19 - Toronto Raptors rookie Ulrich Chomche will miss the rest of the season with a right knee injury, the team announced Wednesday. The 19-year-old big man from Cameroon sustained a partial proximal MCL tear during a G League game last week. He appeared in seven games for Toronto, posting totals of five points, eight rebounds and two assists in 32 minutes. Playing on a two-way contract, he averaged 7.1 points, 7.6 boards and 2.9 blocks in 33 games with affiliate Raptors 905. Chomche was a second-round pick (57th overall) in the 2024 NBA Draft.
