QUEBEC CITY—Matt Thomas’s shooting abilities are what made him so attractive to the Raptors that they signed him to a guaranteed contract last summer, but there are other facets of his life that are working in his favour as well.
The six-foot-five forward played college ball at Iowa State, the same state that produced Raptors head coach Nick Nurse, and the stories of high-profile players are familiar to everyone in the area.
The 25-year-old Thomas joins Toronto after playing two seasons in Spain, where Marc Gasol is an icon and Raptors assistant coach — and Spanish national team mentor — Sergio Scariolo has immense reach and a higher profile.