A New Modern Day Inspiration For NBA G League Athletes
Juan Toscano-Anderson's grit and grind to NBA success should elevate him to role model status for up and coming G League athletes.
Jeremy Lin soared on the Big Apple stage and became a national phenomenon. The likes of Khris Middleton and Pascal Siakam became NBA All-Stars. After winning an NBA championship with Siakam in 2019, Fred VanVleet is also knocking on stardom’s door after signing the most lucrative contract for an undrafted player this past offseason. Danny Green, currently a member of the first place 76ers, looks to be in line to compete for his fourth straight NBA title. Thanks to the notoriety of LeBron James and Anthony Davis, Alex Caruso often finds himself on national television, but has been able to develop his own respective fan base due to his acrobatic dunking prowess.
Needless to say, there are plenty of NBA G League alums who have become familiar household names by flirting with stardom and/or accomplishing things not many have done before them.
But alas, such a path into the spotlight isn’t necessarily available to everyone, at least not right away. Players grinding through the minor league are often taught that standing out starts with doing all the little things and playing with hustle. Instead of scoring 30 or plus points on a given night (a la Stephen Curry or another one of the NBA’s notable sharpshooters), a player can prove his worth by fighting for rebounds, defending well without fouling, or patiently waiting their turn to cash in on a long range bomb from the corner. Whatever a team’s need may be, a player’s ability to work hard and stay patient through the twists and turns is crucial.
That, in part is why Juan Toscano-Anderson has found success with the Warriors this season. On Thursday, he put yet another exclamation point on what’s becoming a memorable season for him. He scored a career-high 20 points (which, according to Alberto de Roa, is a significant feat for a Mexican player), converted on three shots from deep, and tallied 7 rebounds and 3 assists in Golden State’s latest victory.
At 28 years old, he’s not your average second-year player. After enjoying a collegiate career at Marquette, Toscano-Anderson went on to play parts of four seasons professionally in Mexico and two in the NBA G League (his last season in Mexico and first in the NBA’s minor league was a shared experience in the same year). With a certain level of hunger and an early affinity for defying the odds, JTA had the NBA in his sights and wasn’t afraid to grit and grind it out for an opportunity. He made the Santa Cruz Warriors on an open tryout and remained focused on making the right plays and proving his worth in other ways besides pouring in the points.
Golden State called him up last February, and it was then that the organization was able to get an up close and personal look at his humble yet determined approach. But the pandemic put a lid on the opportunity he would have been privy to for the rest of the season. It was a surprise to see the team waive him following the conclusion of training camp this season, but luckily that wasn’t the end of Toscano-Anderson’s story.
The Warriors almost immediately re-signed the hard worker to a Two-Way contract. Under normal circumstances, this would have come with its own restrictions. Previously, such players were limited to spend up to 45 days with an NBA team. This season, that limit was increased to 50 games. Such an opportunity initially included a significantly lower minimum salary, but that has reportedly been altered as well. Having played in 39 games for Golden State thus far, Toscano-Anderson’s salary will be converted to a standard NBA minimum if he appears in 10 of the Warriors’ remaining 16 regular season contests.
Perhaps reaching that plateau isn’t out of the question, given JTA’s impact. Of course, there have been more than a handful of games this season that he’s simply watched from the sidelines. Still, he’s tallied 15 starts and has garnered comparisons to Draymond Green thanks to his high basketball IQ and a fearless mentality toward defending an opponent’s best player. Much like Green, his contributions to winning go well beyond his 5.1 points and 3.8 rebounds averages. As this Warriors chase higher postseason seeding placement, his value is clear. He’s become part of the culture.
This is quite the story for a Bay Area native like JTA. Having participated in Warriors’ summer camps as a kid, his journey is the kind youngsters crave. As his childhood dream becomes a reality, this dedicated athlete is becoming a role model, not just for fellow campers, but for other NBA G League alums hoping to carve out their own path to the next level.
Call it a modern day Cinderella story that boasts achievement without all the glamor, but should arguably be celebrated just as much.