When Patrick Patterson came to Toronto from the Sacramento Kings last season, he admitted that he didn’t know what to expect. Outside of playing a handful of games as the opponent in the Great White North, the Kentucky grad knew very little about Canada or what his life would be like on this side of the border.
Weather didn’t concern him; he grew up in West Virginia and, as such, was used to the cold and the snow. The Raptors were simply an unknown. And Patterson was still stinging about being let go by the Kings and dealing with the feeling of being unwanted as opposed to looking at the other side of the coin—a team that wanted and valued him enough to make a deal!
Any apprehension he felt was short-lived. The personable and perceptive Patterson quickly found a place for himself in the basketball communities of Toronto, southern Ontario, and across Canada. He adopted his new home with open arms and spoke genuinely about wanting to plant roots with the Raptors organization.
Last spring’s post-season run against Brooklyn solidified Patterson’s desire to re-sign with Toronto. He was a key piece on both ends of the floor for the Raptors as they pushed the series against the Nets to seven games. The energetic forward felt that he had finally found a home and had been given a true chance to shine for the first time in his NBA career. After bouncing around from Houston to Sacramento to Toronto, stability and happiness seemed possible.
But when the summertime came along and Patterson hit the open market for the first time—as a restricted free agent—his resolve was tested by a few teams, most notably the Orlando Magic.
Patterson came close to signing with the Magic. According to sources the contract was very similar to what Toronto offered, but it is believed that Patterson wanted a little bit more to uproot his life yet again and move to Florida. If money and terms were effectively equal, he was staying with the Raptors. In the end, that’s how it unfolded.
“I’m happy,” said Patterson. “I feel like the right choice was made. They’re happy, I’m happy—we’re both in positive situations. And that’s all I could ask for.”
Dwane Casey is happy too.
“A lot of teams want guys like Pat, guys that are self-starters that you don’t have to say ‘giddy up’ to,” said Casey. “[Patterson] comes in ready to play. There are going to be nights where his shot isn’t falling, but now he’s able to do other things that help us win.”
Though some of Patterson’s numbers have taken a bit of a dip this season, the difference is fairly negligible. And any offensive slippage is more than made up for by the fact that he has become one of Toronto’s best all-around defenders.
“Pat’s a lot like Tyler [Hansbrough]; he’s our energizer bunny,” said Casey. “He goes in there and makes things happen. Defensively, he’s one of our best pick-and-roll defenders.”
Patterson agrees with his coach’s assessment and relishes the role he has forged with the Raptors.
“Every single time we go out there—whether it’s me or Tyler—it’s all about energy, it’s all about taking our team to the next level,” he said.
And given the unrestricted free agent status of starter Amir Johnson—and the questions swirling around Toronto’s already-thin front court—Patterson could be an even more important piece in taking the Raptors to the next level for years to come.