The Toronto Raptors couldn't keep one San Diego State alum.
So they got another.
A season after Kawhi Leonard left for the Clippers in free agency, the Raptors snagged Aztecs guard Malachi Flynn with the 29th pick in the NBA Draft on Wednesday night.
It's a fitting move in that the NBA player Flynn drew comparisons to is Raptors guard Fred VanVleet, who is an unrestricted free agent himself and could be on the move. It also makes sense given how extensively and exhaustively the Raptors researched Flynn.
One person close to the process estimated the Raptors spoke to more than two dozen people about Flynn, even flying a scout to San Diego last weekend to meet with Aztecs coaches in person because they didn't want to just talk over the phone.
Flynn becomes the third SDSU player taken in the first round, joining Michael Cage (14th in 1984) and Leonard (15th in 2011), and the fifth selected in the two-round draft in the last decade.
Flynn figures to be a major part of Toronto's plans, with All-Star guard Kyle Lowry turning 35 this season and VanVleet an attractive free agent target.
"I think teams like the fact that he is older," SDSU coach Brian Dutcher said. "Some teams are looking for someone who can contribute immediately. They look at some of these young guys coming out, and they're athletic and all. But they like Malachi's toughness and his production and the fact that he knows how to play, that you can put him around other good players and he'll fit right in."
In normal years, rookies have a few weeks after the draft to practice with their new coaches before the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas in July, then another 2 1/2 months before training camp starts in early October. From draft to season opener, there are typically four months.
This year? Barely four weeks, with the 2020-21 season beginning Dec. 22.
The challenge, then, is quickly transitioning his game to the next level.
"I'm always the hardest critic on guys making the NBA," Dutcher said. "I don't overhype my guys. It's a whole different game up there. What Malachi has is a swagger about him that when he steps out there, he thinks he's the best player on the floor.
"He has a rare ability to score at a high level but not score every time he gets it. That's what makes him attractive. He knows how to get his teammates involved. He's a great passer. But in a five-minute stretch, he can put up 12 points. That's what he did with us ... It's those instincts that coaches can't give to players."
