Gradey Dick’s dreams came true at the 2023 NBA Draft –– and now he may now have the chance to hang out with Drake.
The 6-foot-8 former Kansas guard was drafted No. 13 overall by the Toronto Raptors on Thursday and, beyond the basketball, Dick’s looking forward to sharing a city with the famous rapper.
“Gotta get out there, see Drake. I haven’t seen him a bunch, but I’m looking forward to that,” Dick said to the media following his selection. “[Becoming boys with Drake], that’s the goal. I need him to wear my jersey. That’s how I know [I’ve made it]. That’s my priority.”
Dick, 19, got the Instagram follow from Drake later in the night.
The Raptors showed their first-round pick’s reaction on Twitter.
“Come on,” he said laughing. “Come on Champagne Papi!”
Drake is a Toronto native and has deep ties to the Raptors.
The “Circo Loco” singer was named the team’s global ambassador in 2013, representing The 6 wherever he goes.
The Raptors’ athletic center was also rebranded as “OVO Athletic Centre” after partnering with Drake in 2019 on a naming rights deal that featured his record label, OVO.
Dick is now joining a Toronto team trying to find its footing again in a strong and talented Eastern Conference after missing the 2023 playoffs.
The small forward shined in his freshman year as a Jayhawk, averaging 14.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.7 assists through 36 games.
Dick was also a monster from beyond the arc –– one of his highlights heading into the draft –– and knocked down 83 3-pointers in the 2022-23 season, clinching the Kansas freshman record.
His three-point accuracy was reflected in a 40.3 percent conversion rate, and Dick was 44.2 percent from the field.
When without the ball, Dick knows how to find his slots and make space for himself in shooting lanes.
Dick will be a big part of the Raptors’ young offense, and hopefully make a new friend once he touches down in Toronto.
