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Raptors’ Poeltl shunned parents’ game, fell in love with basketball instead

Austrian star chased volleyballs as a child, but became first from his country to be selected in NBA draft.

Jakob Poeltl, the Raptors' top pick in the NBA draft on Thursday, was always in the gym as a child, the son of two national team volleyball players in Austria.

The energetic kid rambled all over the place in Vienna as the Austrian national volleyball teams went through their workouts and his mother, Martina, and father, Rainer worked on their games.

It was obvious even then that the 6-year-old had some athletic promise, and it was fully realized Friday when Jakob Poeltl was introduced as the newest member of the Toronto Raptors.