How Mamukelashvili ‘beat the percentages’ to search out alternative with Raptors

The amiable 26-year-old New Yorker performed 4 comparatively unremarkable seasons at Seton Hall, was the 54th general choose within the 2021 NBA draft and cycled by way of three totally different organizations inside his first 18 months as a professional. 

He began his profession in Milwaukee, becoming a member of what was then a loaded Bucks crew recent off the 2021 NBA championship on a two-way contract. His NBA existence was tenuous from the soar. 

“My main focus was [always] like, ‘just come in there and beat the odds and prove everybody that I can actually stay in this league,’” he mentioned not too long ago. 

It’s an angle that has served him properly. 

Five years into his profession, Mamukelashvili returns to Milwaukee Thursday with Toronto as a bona fide contributor for a Raptors membership that appears decided to make their presence felt within the Eastern Conference, breezing into the Fiserv Forum with a 16-11 file and standing third within the Eastern Conference. 

It’s a place Mamukelashvili has helped the Raptors obtain together with his regular play off the bench, a standing that didn’t at all times appear potential when the variety of video games he was inactive for or didn’t play barely exceeded the quantity video games he did get on the ground, nevertheless briefly, whereas with the Bucks after which the San Antonio Spurs. 

After his third season (2023-24) when he both didn’t play or was inactive for 36 video games on a tanking Spurs crew that went 22-60, he gave thought to giving up his NBA dream and benefiting from his roots as a citizen of the Republic of Georgia and catching on with a EuroLeague membership. 

Would starring for AS Monaco within the south of France be preferable to grinding it out within the G League to earn spot NBA minutes, or waving a towel whereas the Spurs’ extra most popular prospects received taking part in time forward of him?

Some would possibly suppose so, however not Mamukelashvili. 

“When you really want something to work out, you fight for it no matter what,” he mentioned. “… And I feel like, till this day, that’s my main motto. Like, just you gotta prove to everybody that that you are a hooper, and you belong here and just have a plan … just grind and the rest is gonna take care of itself.”

It’s not like Mamukelashvili is on a multi-year, nine-figure contract like a few of his Raptors teammates, however the two-year deal he signed for $5.3 million is the closest factor to stability he’s had in 5 seasons. It’s additionally confirmed to be one of many best-value contracts within the league on condition that Mamukelashvili is placing up 9.8 factors and 4.4 rebounds a recreation on 61.7 true capturing (accounting for the worth of two-point discipline objectives, three-point discipline objectives and free throws) whereas taking part in 19.5 minutes an evening as a foundational piece for what has been a usually efficient bench unit for the Raptors. 

The finest might be but to come back for Mamukelashvili, who has a participant possibility on his deal for 2026-27 and would appear to be in line for first rate increase if his present type holds. 

It’s an instance of the potential rewards that await fringe prospects offering they’ll proceed to enhance and are capable of keep inspired, keep skilled and stay constructive even when the exterior validation that comes with taking part in time and on-court success could be fleeting. 

Mamukelashvili by no means overpassed that a part of the job additionally. When the Raptors performed in San Antonio the Spurs shocked him with a tribute video, not a typical gesture for a bench participant who was solely with the crew for two-plus seasons. 

“The most important part I learned over the years is to stay professional,” he mentioned, “You know, professionals always stick. Professionals and good teammates always stick. If you work hard, you’re a good teammate, you’re coachable, I feel like you’re going to find yourself in the league, and then your opportunity is going to come, and it might be your first year. It might be fifth year … all I have to do is be a sponge, learn and focus on my game and the opportunity is here now.”

It’s a time-worn path to carving out a good profession as an NBA position participant, however that doesn’t make it straightforward. Seeing it by way of to this stage is some extent of satisfaction for Mamukelashvili. 

“I don’t think people really understand the four years I’ve been in the league how much I really had to, you know, the mentality changes. Of course, you got to stay resilient,” he mentioned. “And I feel like that was my work: just stay resilient and stay ready. But at the same time, just having this kind of opportunity to play through my mistakes, I’m still trying to embrace it.”

It was a chance he was craving and was one of many major causes he elected to sign up Toronto after performing some due diligence on Raptors head coach Darko Rajaković in conversations with present Raptors two-way wing AJ Lawson — a buddy from their pre-draft course of once they briefly shared an agent — and Jared Rhoden, who was on a two-way with the Raptors final season and a teammate at Seton Hall. 

The evaluations have been good, and the lived expertise has exceeded his expectations. 

“I feel like Coach Darko is an amazing guy,” Mamukelashvili mentioned. “I had this for four years where I was getting in situations where, I was staying a little heartbroken, putting my head down, but still fighting and staying resilient. I feel like Coach Darko takes everything out of me. He just tells me to be who I am, and I really trust him and I value everything he brings to the team and the energy and passion, and I feel like I’m trying to match it on the court.”

“We always had a high opinion of him,” mentioned Rajaković, who has shut ties with the Spurs and likewise adopted Mamukelashvili with the Georgian nationwide crew. “And once we had the chance to signal him, we have been actually enthusiastic about it. 

“And we do perceive that it’s going to take time for him to actually perceive, like ‘okay, I’m beloved right here. I’m accepted right here. I’m going to have my true alternative right here and play night time in and night time out…”

“But he’s adapting really well,” added Rajaković. “He’s an everyday guy — he brings great energy every single day. He works hard, the guys like him, he’s a great communicator, he’s a fun guy to be around, so he fits our culture really, really well, and I do expect him to keep growing.”

Mamukelashvili actually expects it of himself. He’s emerged as a succesful three-point shooter (37 per cent on a career-high 4.3 makes an attempt a recreation) who can credibly unfold the ground and is a surprisingly adept driver and playmaker who can assault closeouts by slower bigs with some fashion. Defensively, he can maintain up fairly properly on switches on the perimeter and his rim safety numbers are higher than is perhaps anticipated. It’s a talent set that enables the Raptors play him as a small-ball 5 but in addition — doubtlessly — as a face-up 4 if Toronto provides one other centre on the commerce deadline. Rajaković even performed Mamukelashvili alongside beginning centre Jakob Poeltl for brief stretches in opposition to the New York Knicks final week in an try to offset among the Knicks’ measurement benefit. 

Whatever the configuration, Mamukelashvili is worked up for the chance and after ready so lengthy to get it, has no plans on squandering it.  

“For four years, it’s been an uphill battle for me to kind of be in this position,” he mentioned. “And I don’t take it lightly. I try to make sure every minute I’m, you know, as a human being, you kind of put your head down, but it can’t happen very often. I can’t have lulls. I just have to make sure, I’m not too high, not too low, stay level-headed, come out and compete the same way every time.”

That was the job the Raptors employed him to do, and 4 years faraway from his first NBA likelihood in Milwaukee, he’s taken full benefit of the chance.