Olympics Summer
New Toronto Raptor A.J. Lawson went unpicked in the 2021 NBA Draft after playing two years for the University of South Carolina. After a stint in the CEBL, then for the Minnesota Timbervolves and Dallas Mavericks, he has arrived back home in Toronto.
25-year-old Toronto native says ‘I feel I can be a key part’ of Canadian national squad
Tara De Boer · CBC Sports
· Posted: May 02, 2025 10:32 AM EDT | Last Updated: 10 hours ago
Raptors guard A.J. Lawson, a native of Toronto, joined CBC Sports to discuss the growth of basketball in Canada, as well as his desire to represent the country at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. (Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)When Brampton, Ont., native A.J. Lawson officially signed a contract with the Toronto Raptors this spring, he called his parents on the phone and said, “I’m coming home.”
“The younger version of myself would probably tell you, ‘No way,'” Lawson told CBC Sports. “But at the same time, I always had that belief that I’d be in the NBA one day, no matter what team.”
Lawson went undrafted in the 2021 NBA draft after playing two years for the University of South Carolina. From there, he had stints in the CEBL, then for the Minnesota Timbervolves, the Dallas Mavericks and Raptors 905.
The 25-year-old was playing in the G League for the Long Island Nets when he got the call to play in Toronto.
WATCH | Raptors’ Lawson riffs on growth of Canada hoops, Olympic ambition:
‘I’m coming home:’ Canada’s A.J. Lawson talks joining Raptors
The 25-year-old tells CBC Sports about his excitement to play for his hometown NBA team and shares his Olympic goals.
In March, Lawson scored 32 points off the bench of the Raptors against the Washington Wizards — a career-high motivated by the goal to prove himself on the court.
“The underdog mentality. I’ve just always wanted to be a better version of myself every day. I feel like the opportunity I got with the Raptors… I got out there, I saw my family in the crowd, it was all that motivation I needed right there,” Lawson said.
Hometown kids staying localWhile he says he’s looking forward to playing with the entire Raptors roster, Lawson is perhaps most familiar with one: his childhood teammate RJ Barrett.
The two Toronto kids played together for the Brampton Warriors, and in Grade 9 at St. Marguerite d’Youville at Brampton.
Lawson also briefly played with Toronto’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is a top contender for league MVP for his oustanding season with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
“It just shows that Canadians got game. From 10 years ago till now, I feel like we tripled, quadrupled the number of Canadians in the NBA and it just shows that Canadians can hoop,” he said.
WATCH | Raptors hoping to continue trend of finding homegrown talent:
Meet the Toronto Raptors’ newest player
The Toronto Raptors are hoping to continue the trend of finding homegrown talent and turning them into stars with Brampton’s A.J. Lawson. The player has just signed a new two-year contract with the team after originally signing in December. CBC’s Dwight Drummond sat down with him to talk all things Toronto.
Olympic dreamsLawson last represented Canada at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 Qualifiers in 2021.
He says that competing for the country gives him an “extra boost” to his game, and his goal is to be a part of the roster representing Canada at the next Summer Olympics in L.A.
“My goal is to be in the 2028 Olympics,” he said. “I feel like I can definitely help the team, just my spirit, defensive energy and offensive game, I feel like I can be a key part of that team.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tara is a Toronto-based journalist who writes and produces athlete features for CBC Sports, exploring the intersection of sport, society, and culture. Prior to this, she was a writer for the CTV News national editorial team, covering trending and breaking news. Tara’s bylines have appeared in Toronto Life, Canadian Business, and Maclean’s where she covers stories related to culture, entertainment, and sports. She holds a Master’s degree from Toronto Metropolitan University.
