Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet, and Norman Powell are 3 key players in the Toronto Raptors' rotation who were developed through the Raptors 905, the team's G League affiliate.
"Those [three] are people that are now part of a system and are ingrained in what is now Raptors' culture. For them, it began early in their careers with the 905. It helped to really formulate who they are as Raptors now," said the 905's head coach Jama Mahlalela.
Siakam was named the MVP of the final when the 905 won the championship in 2017.
"Those players can be put in big situations, and yes, the G League playoffs are not the same as the NBA playoffs. But there's pressure, there's responsibility, there's coverages, there's understanding what's on the floor," added Mahlalela.
Alfonzo McKinnie for the Warriors also played on the 905's.
"It's better than sitting toward the end of the bench and not getting a constant role, constant time on the court. This allows the team to go right up the stream. We run the same offence, the same schemes [as the Raptors]. It gives them a chance to go out there and play with a team and stay fresh and stay ready and develop," added 905's general manager Chad Sanders.
