Newly signed Brooks taking advantage of opportunity with Raptors

TSN Raptors Reporter

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TORONTO – Armoni Brooks was taking a nap in his Toronto hotel room at around 5:00 p.m. on Friday when his agent called to give him the news that he had been dreaming of.

Finally, the 23-year-old guard, whose second 10-day contract was about to expire, could unpack. The Raptors were signing Brooks to a multi-year deal, which includes a partial guarantee for next season, as the team made official on Saturday morning.

Twenty days ago, Brooks was in Atlanta getting ready for a game with the College Park Skyhawks of the G League. After catching the first plane to Cleveland, where he joined the undermanned Raptors on a last-minute emergency call-up earlier this month, the Texas native has taken advantage of the opportunity.

Now, here he was. After sharing the news with his parents over FaceTime, Brooks could finally exhale, even if it was just for a few minutes, and reflect on these hectic past few weeks.

“I think it was just coming in and doing things the right way – coming in the gym everyday, getting extra shots up, getting extra reps in and really embracing the team, the playing style and the culture,” Brooks told TSN moments before his new club hosted the Indiana Pacers on Saturday evening. “I just try to have an impact as much as possible on the floor. Every time I got an opportunity I tried to make the absolute most of it and tried to have a good attitude about everything.”

Unlike most late-season signees, Brooks has been thrown right into the fire, playing meaningful minutes for a team that desperately needed the backcourt depth and shooting he’s provided. It hasn’t taken him long to fit in, or to find his way into Nick Nurse’s circle of trust. Injuries to Fred VanVleet, OG