Knicks Star Sings Past, Present Teammate’s Praises

New York Knicks star OG Anunoby is finally ready to walk in the (Jurassic) Park.

Three weeks away from the one-year anniversary of the deal that made him a Knick, Anunoby will do battle with his original NBA employers when New York faces the Toronto Raptors on Monday night (7:30 p.m. ET, MSG). The Knicks have appeared on Scotiabank Arena hardwood since the trade but Anunoby missed the occasion due to injury.

True to his eternally stoic nature, Anunoby was mum about his trip back to Ontario, simply remarking he was “not sure” about the reception he would receive upon being introduced on Monday night in a report from Peter Botte of the New York Post.

“It’ll be great to see my friends, the staff, and just the people of Canada,” Anunoby said in Botte’s report.

Anunoby instead opted to sing the praises of past and present teammate Precious Achiuwa, who is likewise due for Canadian homecoming. Achiuwa is back in action for the Knicks after missing the first 21 games with hamstring issues and has pulled in 14 rebounds in his opening couple, including 10 off the bench in Saturday’s loss to Detroit.

“He made a big impact, and I’m not surprised,” Anunoby gushed in Botte’s report. “That’s what he’s always done. He’s a really talented player, a special player, who can do a lot at both ends. The more opportunities he gets, the more he’ll thrive. So it’s not surprising.”

Achiuwa had his homecoming moment in March, as he showed Toronto what it was missing with a 19-point, 12-rebound double-double off the bench in a 145-101 shellacking.

Anunoby was one of the leftovers from the Raptors’ famed 2018-19 championship squad when he and Achiuwa (along with the departed Malachi Flynn) were sent to the Knicks in exchange for homegrown franchise faces RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley. Both signed deals to stay with New York over the offseason, with Anunoby inking a five-year, $212.5 million payday that’s fully guaranteed.

All sides seem to be living to their ends of the respective bargain: Anunoby enters with a newfound sense of offensive prowess, averaging a career-best 17.7 points a game entering Monday night play. Barrett and Quickley also appear to be long-term staples of the new-look Raptors though injuries have limited the latter to only three games this season. Barrett, the Knicks’ highest draft selection since top choice Patrick Ewing in 1985 (No. 3 in 2019), is posting career-best numbers in his native Ontario and should linger in the Most Improved Player discussion.

Both the Knicks and Raptors also have a chance to make a statement on Monday: New York will look to atone for Saturday’s shortcoming before NBA Cup bracket play begins on Wednesday while Toronto has a chance to earn a winning record on a homestand that already features wins over Indiana and Miami.

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