Emmanuel Quickley he just needed his chance.
The young point guard was like a spark plug for the Knicks in his first four seasons, finishing in the top 10 for Sixth Man of the Year voting twice.
However, due to a big contract, New York decided to send him out of town.
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Quickley was traded to the Raptors alongside his compatriot RJ Barrett within the framework of the OG Anunoby agreement almost two years ago.
Since then, the 26-year-old has taken full advantage of his opportunity.
He missed time due to injury, but established himself as a starter in Toronto’s lineup, producing 17.0 points and 5.2 assists in his first season and a half with the team.
Quickley has managed to stay healthy so far this year, putting up 16.0 points, 6.3 assists and 4.6 rebounds through the first 21 games of the season.
While some in the game may be surprised by the Kentucky product’s growth, his former teammate certainly isn’t.
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“The way he has worked on his game since I saw him and even before,” Jalen Brunson said. “Hearing about his work ethic and everything, nothing surprises me: the way he plays and what he’s been able to do has been great.
“This is the opportunity he was looking for and he showed it. I have no respect for him, he’s my man. The way our relationship is, we go there, we compete but I still support him.”
Quickly gave the MSG stalwart a blast from the past in returning to the Big Apple on Sunday, finishing just shy of a double-double (19 PTS, 8 AST) while knocking down 50 percent of his shots (7 of 14).
He will face Brunson and the Knicks again next week in the NBA Cup quarterfinals.
