"I remember assistant coach Pat Delany mentioning during his session the importance of making defense messy. He stressed that players should keep their arms moving, working on hand activity, staying focused and getting their chin on the ball. While this might sound like a chaotic, spazzy style of defense, Delany offered a key analogy: players need to have a " cobra mentality" instead of a " woodpecker mentality," waiting patiently for the right moment to strike."
"After watching the preseason, I immediately noticed that Ochai Agbaji has embraced this defensive style. He was locked in every time he was on the court and seemed to embody the defense that Delany emphasized as a priority for the Raptors. This wasn't a huge surprise to me since Agbaji has already shown he can be a solid point-of-attack defender."
"I'm not sure if he can exactly replicate his success from last year, and although he wasn't a high-usage player with the Raptors, that opportunity seems even more limited now with a deeper roster. Assistant coach James Wade said during his seminar that the Raptors have players like Gradey Dick, Ja'Kobe Walter, and Ochai Agbaji who might not get many shots each night."
Raptors coaches prioritize disruptive defense, emphasizing constant hand activity, focus, and keeping the chin on the ball while adopting a 'cobra mentality' to strike selectively. Ochai Agbaji has adopted that defensive approach, showing consistent on-court intensity and point-of-attack defensive capability. Agbaji also experienced a dramatic increase in three-point shooting last season, though replicating that surge may be difficult. A deeper roster reduces offensive opportunities for role players, and the system requires wing players to rotate to corners or cut to the basket when needed. Readiness to accept limited shot volume and play hard nightly could shape long-term roster roles.
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