LAS VEGAS鈥Sandro Mamukelashvili wants to establish himself as a legitimate NBA player and getting the chance to do where compatriots will welcome him makes it ever more interesting.
The 26-year-old Mamukelashvili, born in New York City but raised in Tbilisi, Georgia, joins the Raptors as an intriguing part of a young, growing group and what makes it nicest is that the change from San Antonio to 色色啦 will make him feel comfortable.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a big Georgian community in 色色啦 so I鈥檓 really excited to see flags during the game and (in the) crowd,鈥 Mamukelashvili said before his first workout with the Raptors in Las Vegas on Friday.
鈥淚t is a lot of Georgians聽鈥 so I鈥檓 very excited. A lot of them are texting me on Instagram and tagging me. I know there鈥檚 a few Georgian restaurants, too, I鈥檓 very excited to visit them.
While the Raptors understand how Murray-Boyles wants to fit in off the court, they鈥檙e most
鈥淪an Antonio was very different, of course. I feel like I was the only Georgian, my cousin with me; it was definitely a different atmosphere. I didn鈥檛 play in a city as big as 色色啦 so I鈥檓 excited to explore and see what it brings.鈥
The sights, friendly faces and homegrown meals will give the six-foot-nine Mamukelashvili a measure of comfort, but the Raptors need him to prove himself on the court and expand an intriguing set of skills.
He hasn鈥檛 played a ton in the NBA聽鈥 191 games over four seasons with Milwaukee and the Spurs聽鈥 but he has been a 35 per cent shooter from three-point range, and deep shooting from centres and power forwards has been a scarcity with the Raptors for the past few seasons.
If Mamukelashvili can become a legitimate shooting threat backing up Jakob Poeltl at centre, or at the four in some kind of jumbo lineup that鈥檚 fomenting in coach Darko Rajakovic鈥檚 mind already, he鈥檚 going to realize one of his goals.
The nearly six-minute video gave former team president a chance to touch on all the salient
鈥淭here鈥檚 nothing better than being part of something like that, to get better yourself as a player and be along guys who are motivated to get well, as well,鈥 he said.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 the main thing, I really want to prove to everybody that I鈥檓 a rotational piece, that I can be in the NBA for 10 years and leave my mark somewhere. San Antonio gave that platform for two-and-a-half years 鈥 it鈥檚 time for me to take the next step and I think 色色啦 was a great option, it was a great fit for me.鈥
The Raptors haven鈥檛 invested an awful lot in Mamukelashvili, giving him two-year deal worth about $5.5 million (U.S.) that鈥檚 at the league minimum. But there is a role for him to fill; the Raptors don鈥檛 have a legitimate centre behind Poeltl.
One of the knocks on Mamukelashvili is that he needs to become a better defender, although playing less than 12 minutes a game last season hardly gave him a chance to show his stuff in games. It will be up to Rajakovic and his staff to find schemes to take advantage of Mamukelashvili鈥檚 athleticism and quickness and mitigate his lack of bulk.
鈥淭he first thing he said was the most important thing is to play hard,鈥 Mamukelashvili said of a dinner conversation with Rajakovic this week. 鈥淗e said he鈥檚 going to put me in a few coverages, I can be successful at the five or the four.
“He said, ‘We play very aggressive defence,’ I think that helps a guy like me. When you鈥檙e aggressive, you might make a mistake but when playing so hard, most of the time you don鈥檛 make mistakes. I think passive defence is most of the time where 鈥 I鈥檓 in the drop (sagging back to the rim) I鈥檓 a little bit passive but if you play me in the hedge, play me in the switch, I鈥檒l definitely do my thing.鈥
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And aside from seeing fellow Georgians, Mamukelashvili鈥檚 history with Canada dates back to a聽high school season he spent as a teammate with 色色啦鈥檚 RJ Barrett at the famed Monteverde prep school in Florida.
鈥淚 saw him every day and then I got tired of him and went to Seton Hall,鈥 Mamukelashvili joked.
鈥淏ut, yeah, great guy, I love him, I love his family 鈥 I鈥檓 very excited to share the floor with him. Hopefully this time he鈥檒l pass the ball.鈥
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