Raptors rookie Bruno Caboclo thought Portland, Maine was Boston
The Toronto Raptors surprised the NBA on draft night when they selected Brazilian forward Bruno Caboclo. The 19-year-old had played just one professional season in his country’s top league and was not projected to go off the board near when he did. He shows promise, but it looks like he will need an adjustment period until he’s ready to carve out a spot in the Raptors’ rotation.
It also looks clear that Caboclo will need to adjust to his new continent. The Raptors played visitors to the Boston Celtics in a preseason game on Wednesday night in Portland, Maine, home of the latter’s D-League affiliate Maine Red Claws. Caboclo was not aware that he was not in the Celtics’ usual home:
Caboclo’s confusion is understandable. He had no reason to get acquainted with New England geography before this season, obviously hasn’t ever been to Boston, and may not have been given detailed information on the location of Wednesday’s game. Such mistakes can be made under the circumstances.
On the other hand, anyone who has been to both Boston and Portland knows that they are very different. Boston may have the feel of a small city compared to New York, but it supports several major sports teams with gigantic stadiums and arenas. In contrast, Portland boasts a population of more than 66,000 and is more of a quaint seaside town than a booming metropolis. (It is also totally wonderful and features the best seafood I have ever had in my life.)
Caboclo, who went scoreless on four field goal attempts in 13 minutes in the Raptors’ 92-89 win, may have several opportunities to figure out the differences between NBA and D-League cities this season. He will most likely spend some time shuffling to and from the Raptors, who don’t have an official affiliate. Here’s hoping that process helps him adjust to the NBA’s world a little quicker.
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Eric Freeman is a writer for Ball Don’t Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter!
