Precious Achiuwa seems a personable young man, comfortable in conversation, smiling and affable in a relaxed, informal setting.
Put him on a basketball court, though, and something quite different emerges, a toughness, almost a meanness, something Raptors coach Nick Nurse calls a “force.”
It’s not a magical transformation, nor is it planned. It’s just how Achiuwa is.
“I’ve kind of always been that way in terms of being the aggressor,” the 22-year-old Raptors forward said Thursday. “I’ve always played hard. I’ve always wanted to bring the force to the opponent first rather than taking the first hit.