Illinois
Q&A | Quincy Guerrier talks transitioning from Illinois to pro basketball with Toronto Raptors – The Daily Illini
The Toronto Raptors played their first game of the 2024 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas Saturday night, and former Illini Quincy Guerrier, who signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Raptors after going undrafted, was suited up for the team. Guerrier spent his final season of college basketball at Illinois this past season, where he averaged 9.6 points and 6.1 rebounds per game while shooting 37.4% from three. Despite not playing in the Raptors’ first game, Guerrier spoke to The Daily Illini after the contest about making the transition from college basketball to the professional game.
The Daily Illini: How did the Exhibit 10 contract with the Raptors come about?
Guerrier: I had a workout for them. I had a really good workout. It was probably my second-best workout, and then I ended up getting an E-10 with them.
DI: Being from Canada, how happy are you to be with the Raptors organization?
Guerrier: I’m grateful for it. They’ve known me for a while. From now on I’ve just got to keep grinding, keep working and get my way up.
DI: Now being with the organization for a few weeks, doing Summer League training, what did you have to adjust to or not expect from the professional game?
Guerrier: I’ve been a professional my whole life, to be honest, so there’s nothing really I have to adjust to. It’s just the game is faster, but overall, you gotta show up on time and just work hard and do the things that they ask you to do.
DI: You’re on an Exhibit 10, which leads to a lot of guys competing for a two-way contract or going to the G League. What are your expectations for the season?
Guerrier: Honestly it’s just to get better. I’m going to worry about just getting better, do the things that they want me to do, and we’ll see where that’s going to put me.
DI: At Illinois, we saw you could rebound, shoot and use your size on both ends of the floor. You didn’t play today, but when you get on the court or in practice, what are you trying to showcase to the Raptors?
Guerrier: Honestly it’s just being able to be a three-and-D. A lot of people know me for my defense now, being able to knock down shots in the corners — just play with a lot of energy, rebounding and everything. I’ve been doing that since I’ve been with them. I know today I was not going to get minutes, they told me already, just in terms of evaluating people on our team and stuff. So I just got to be ready and stay motivated.
DI: You, Terrence Shannon Jr. and Marcus Domask are all going pro at the same time. After having so much success together in college, how does it feel to take this journey at the same time, and are you staying in contact?
Guerrier: Yeah, of course. I’m happy for them. You know TJ had a great game yesterday (Friday). It’s a dream come true for us. Being in college for myself five years, and now being able to play professionally, I’m grateful for everything.
DI: What is your favorite memory from your time at Illinois, and what will you miss the most?
Guerrier: Team chemistry was the best. These guys were funny. I think my best memory was when we won the Big Ten championship. That was a great experience.
DI: What is your message to Illinois fans who will continue to support you in the next part of your career?
Guerrier: Go Illini! Thank you for everything y’all did for me. Thanks for supporting me, and I love you guys.
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The Chicago Bears released a statement on Wednesday after Illinois legislators took a step forward with keeping the team in the state.
Shortly after the bill passed out of a House committee 15-5 and then was passed again by the full House, the Bears said the bill is not enough for them.
“We welcome the progress made on the House’s version of the mega project bill; however, additional amendments are necessary to make the Arlington Heights site feasible for our stadium project. We support Illinois leaders as they determine the path forward to making the essential changes to the mega project bill and aligning on infrastructure funding,” the team said in a statement.
The vote on Wednesday came after lawmakers spent weeks working to address concerns and criticism that the bill provided incentives to the team to leave Chicago and surrounding potential revenue shortfalls to area schools if the stadium is built in Arlington Heights.
Despite the team’s dissatisfaction, the megaprojects bill, which would allow the Bears to negotiate property tax payments directly with the Village of Arlington Heights, is headed now to the Senate.
A key piece of legislation designed to keep the Chicago Bears’ stadium project in Illinois is being weighed, and Rose Schmidt has details on what’s in it.
That said, the bill’s lead Senate sponsor State Sen. Bill Cunningham told NBC Chicago’s Mary Ann Ahern that legislators “feel no pressure to take a vote next week” when the Senate returns on Tuesday.
“We will work this bill like any other bill,” Cunningham said.
Though the team is not satisfied with the deal, it seems Illinois Governor Pritzker is.
“Governor Pritzker has been clear and consistent for years that the Bears should remain in Illinois, and that any legislation needs to protect taxpayers. Throughout the past few months, the Governor’s Office brought team leadership, local officials, and legislative partners to the table to craft a deal around public infrastructure improvements, property tax fairness, and affordability measures. Today is an important step, and the Governor’s Office looks forward to working with the Illinois General Assembly to advance a bill that reflects our shared priorities,” Pritzker’s office said in a statement on Wednesday.
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