Everything you need to know about the Toronto Raptors' newest Canadian Khem Birch
We the North may be We the Central Florida this year, but that doesn't mean the Toronto Raptors can't still flex their Canadian roots on the roster.
With Chris Boucher being one of the lone positive marks on a tumultuous Raptors season, the team decided to double its count of big Montreal ballers by adding 6'9 Khem Birch earlier this month.
Though he was born in Montreal, Birch's journey has taken him around the world, playing high school in Ontario and Massachusetts while playing college ball at Pittsburgh before transferring to UNLV.
Undrafted out of college, Birch spent time in the G League before signing in Europe to play for teams in Turkey and Greece. His impressive EuroLeague play caught the eye of NBA scouts who brought him to the Orlando Magic where he spent most of four years before signing in Toronto.
It's a dream come true for the Canadian, who has already represented his country on the national team for U-18 Championships and Olympic qualifiers where he was coached by Raptors boss Nick Nurse.
A dream come true 🇨🇦 https://t.co/S45nLVpQ0a
— Khem Birch (@Khem_Birch) April 10, 2021
In three games with the Raptors he's averaging double his career averages in points and blocks while also averaging a career high in rebounds as he fills the big man role that the Raptors desperately needed.
Former Ottawa guardsmen Khem Birch touched on what it feels like to play with another Canadian from the same city at the highest level.
— Thenorthway (@TheNorthWay) April 16, 2021
MTL stand up 🍁
pic.twitter.com/JYna0L8pLL
Typically Birch has been seen as a defensive specialist, but in his brief time with Toronto, he's already shown that he can be a threat at both ends of the court.
