If you’re into high school basketball recruiting to any extent, you're probably well aware of Makur Maker. At one point, the 6-foot-10 modern-day big was the talk of the basketball world, a five-star prospect and thought to be the next star basketball superstar.
The journey hasn’t quite worked out that way for Maker, the cousin of Thon Maker who was at one point the No. 10 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft. After a year at Howard where Maker battled a groin injury all season, the 22-year-old went undrafted in 2022 and left North America to play overseas in Australia. He’s since bounced around the world at a variety of levels before signing with the Toronto Raptors on an Exhibit 10 deal, essentially a training camp tryout with G League rights.
“I'm excited about this opportunity because first of all, it's Toronto,” said Maker who played part of his high school career in Brampton and Sault Ste. Marie.
When Maker was first coming up, he, like his cousin Thon, was seen as the next big thing in the basketball world. They were both viewed as Kevin Durant-like seven-footers with the ability to dribble, pass, and shoot in a way that Victor Wembanyama is seen today.
“I kind of pride myself in being able to dribble, pass, and shoot and also defend,” Maker said Friday. “It is good to manipulate the game in a different way. ... But whatever coach wants me to do, I'm able to do.”
Toronto is hoping to refine those skills, likely with the Raptors 905 this season. Maker said he’s been spending time with the coaching staff, led by Eric Khoury once again, while trying to prove he deserves a future in the NBA.
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