LAS VEGAS — The Pavilion, the smaller of the two gyms at Las Vegas Summer League, has emptied. A few one-on-one conversations are happening, but the usual accouterments — shoes squeaking, sound system blaring, basketballs bouncing — are absent.This might not be Allen Graves’ preferred vibe. The Toronto Raptors rookie’s outgoing nature spills over. His comfort in the middle of a scrum of people, even if those people are unknown reporters, is obvious. He can handle individual conversations, no doubt, but Graves is used to the focus of the masses.His brother, Marshall, played basketball at LSU. His sister, Amoura, played at Auburn. His father, also named Marshall, runs Love is the Key ministry, where Allen volunteered. Growing up in Ponchatoula, La., with an approximate population of 7,500, you get used to smiles and waves.“Not even with me, but with my brother and my sister both playing high-level basketball, and me being able to make it to the highest level that there is, the NBA — definitely we’re pretty well known in Ponchatoula,” Graves told The Athletic following his second summer-league game.“For me, I was kind of the social one in my family. I always wanted to be around other people. I was always outside playing with other kids. Growing up, I was always outside playing one-on-one, two-on-two, three-on-three with the majority of the kids in the neighbourhood. Then my dad, he runs a ministry, so I was always with other kids and having fun and learning how to socialize. That’s just who I am.”Don’t expect Graves to wilt under the spotlight. The Raptors used the 19th pick on Graves, who spent most of his second season with Santa Clara as a sixth man. He has the traits Raptors fans are used to from their prospects: length, defensive versatility and unselfishness on offence.He is a Raptors-type forward, next in line after Scottie Barnes and Collin Murray-Boyles, even if he enters the league with a more proven 3-point shot but not quite the NBA-ready body that his two teammates had early in their careers. (He doesn’t need to put on 30 pounds, but he is wiry strong compared to those guys, who were just strong.)
Raptors rookie Allen Graves has a big personality to go with a subtle game
Graves has the traits Raptors fans are used to: length, defensive versatility and unselfishness on offence.















