A.J. Lawson: Living the Dream in Toronto
A.J. Lawson is on cloud nine this week, and it’s easy to see why. The Brampton, Ontario native had his first career NBA start with the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena on Friday. But that was just the beginning. On Monday, Lawson delivered a performance that will be etched in his memory forever, scoring a career-high 32 points and grabbing 12 rebounds in a decisive 119-104 victory over the Washington Wizards.
“Probably been dreaming about this, who knows how long? Since I first touched the basketball?” Lawson shared, his eyes sparkling with excitement. “I mean, I’m a Toronto kid, grew up in Brampton. To have a performance like this, it just means everything. It’s for the city, for family, for the country. I mean, all glory to God. Couldn’t do it without Him.”
Lawson’s journey to the NBA wasn’t a straight path. After going undrafted in 2021 following his time at South Carolina, he signed with the College Park Skyhawks, the G-League affiliate of the Atlanta Hawks. He then played for the Guelph Nighthawks in the Canadian Elite Basketball League before joining the Dallas Mavericks’ summer league team. After a stint with the Minnesota Timberwolves, he finally landed a two-way contract with the Raptors on December 11.
Injuries to key players on the Raptors’ roster have opened the door for Lawson, allowing him to showcase his talent. He expressed gratitude for the support he’s received from his teammates, especially the warm welcome he got when he entered the locker room post-game. “Just some Toronto slang,” he laughed, referring to the cheer of “real bad mon!” that greeted him. “We from the city, just giving the Toronto culture some love and the Jamaican culture, for sure.”
One of the highlights of Lawson’s game came from his childhood friend, RJ Barrett. The two grew up playing basketball together in Brampton, and Barrett was instrumental in getting Lawson the ball during the game. “They were all laughing at me because on one of [Lawson’s] threes, [Jared] Rhoden was wide open in the corner, but A.J. was wide open in the other corner and A.J. had 27,” Barrett recalled with a chuckle. “He made the shot and he got 30. I’m happy for him. A.J. is a guy who plays really hard, is really active, both ends of the floor, so it’s good to see a guy like that have a good game here.”
For Lawson, the moment felt surreal. “Honestly, full circle to being on the same court as him, as a Raptor, both Canadians, what a blessing it is,” he said. “The odds of that happening is rare.”
Before this week, Lawson’s highest scoring game was 17 points for Dallas in a win against the San Antonio Spurs. If he had scored just four more points on Monday, he would have set a record for the highest-scoring player on a two-way contract in NBA/G-League history. “It felt like the net just opened up,” he said, reflecting on his shooting performance, which included seven three-pointers. “I just felt like every shot I was gonna shoot it was gonna go in.”
Lawson’s determination shines through as he embraces this moment in the spotlight. “I’m not gonna get down if I missed a couple in a row. I’m just gonna keep shooting. Because I know the work that I put in.”
As Lawson continues to rise, one can’t help but wonder: what’s next for this promising talent from Brampton?
