<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"><font face="Times"><font face="Verdana">DALLAS?Sam Mitchell seems to like all the Raptors, some more than others, and even the ones he respects and holds dear to his heart can find themselves in the doghouse every know and then.</font> </font> And like a father to a large brood of offspring, Mitchell can have no public favourites. The closest the coach will come to open criticism ? the Jerome Moiso-is-a-stiff outburst notwithstanding ? is damning them with faint praise. But if there is one who stands out, one who gives the kind of consistent effort each day at practice and whenever he's called on during a game, it is Matt Bonner. "We love Matt," Mitchell said after the big red head's career night in a win over New Orleans on Sunday. "Matt plays hard, he tries to do every little thing correct and he can shoot." In Mitchell's world, that's about as good as it gets. Bonner, the 24-year-old former second-round draft pick, has rewarded Mitchell's faith in varying degrees this season. The 6-foot-8 forward was never better than on Sunday, when he scored a career-high 18 points, and he's been one of the team's most consistent producers. Sure, there have been moments when Bonner looked lost, and Mitchell quickly reminds him in the coach's rather acerbic courtside manner. But every time he misses an assignment, or forgets some intricacy of an offensive set, Bonner takes the criticism, looks over to the bench in that `Aw shucks, I'm sorry I messed up' style, and continues to plug away. And last night, although he was overmatched athletically in a 113-105 loss to Dallas, he scored 13 points on 6-of-10 shooting. Bonner would seem to be an integral part of the Raptors' future, immediate and long term. </div> Source
I think anyone who works as hard as Bonner would become a coach favourite. Bonner does everything within his capacity on the court. He obviously practices hard on his shot, and hustles on defense.
More news on re-signing Bonner <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> TORONTO -- Raptors GM Rob Babcock vows a full court press to keep Matt Bonner from leaving the NBA team after this season. And for his part, the rookie forward wants to remain in Toronto, a city he has grown to love. "Growing up, I always thought that Boston would be the team I'd want to play for," the Concord, N.H., native said yesterday. "But after this year, it's definitely changed. The unbelievable fan support of the people in this city is awesome." Bonner has been a very pleasant surprise for the Raptors and has become a fan favorite at the Air Canada Centre because of his work ethic, his ability to shoot and his red hair, earning him the nickname The Red Rocket. Bonner, who played pro ball in Italy last season, leads all NBA freshmen in field-goal percentage (55%) and is averaging close to eight points per game off the bench. DARK CLOUDS But there could be dark clouds on the horizon for the Raptors. Because Bonner has had such a good season, other NBA teams may go after him this summer, with the Celtics being the most obvious -- his hometown is not far from Boston. </div> Source
What can you say...he deserves it. And, I hope he does decide to stay in T.O. cos we need more people like him.
I just hope that we don't have to overpay for him. I mean he is important but not to the point of overpaying for his services. With that being said I think every team needs a Matt Bonner type player on it. He is pure hustle with a jump shot.
Matt Bonner is one of the most efficient players I've seen, especially with that jumpshot of his. Its almost like you expect it to go in for him.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting asdf:</div><div class="quote_post">Matt Bonner is one of the most efficient players I've seen, especially with that jumpshot of his. Its almost like you expect it to go in for him.</div> i agree, he shoots with effiency and accuracy... somewhat like the picture below: who knows, maybe one day he'll be regarded as one of the top shooters in the league... courtesy of espn.com
More Bonner <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> TORONTO (CP) - Matt Bonner says his most extravagant purchase since landing in the NBA is a watch that doubles as a remote control for his TV. How much did that set him back? "Thirty bucks," Bonner said. The blue-collar Raptors forward paused to think for a moment, admitting he did purchase his first laptop computer recently. He still doesn't own a car, preferring to ride the subway to and from games at the Air Canada Centre - hence, he shares one of his nicknames, The Red Rocket, with the Toronto Transit Commission. </div> Source
