Former South Carolina basketball star has huge night in NBA, sets career highs
South Carolina basketball alum AJ Lawson is finally getting his chance to play consistent minutes at the NBA level. On Monday night, he rewarded his Toronto Raptors team for giving him the opportunity. Lawson came off the bench but led the Raptors in minutes as he dropped a career-high in points and rebounds.
In the victory over the Washington Wizards, Lawson scored 32 points (including 7-for-14 shooting from the perimeter) and pulled down 12 rebounds. The performance marked his first game with double-digit rebounds and his first NBA double-double. He also added seven points from the free throw line and turned the basketball over just once.
Lawson’s scoring total doubled up the highest output from any Wizard, and his seven 3-pointers more than did the same. He scored 16 points in both the first half and second half and capped off his effort with a big dunk in the 4th quarter.
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Over the course of his professional career, Lawson has played with NBA organizations (and their G League affiliates) like the Miami Heat, Atlanta Hawks, Dallas Mavericks, Minnesota Timberwolves, Brooklyn Nets, and Toronto Raptors. He has spent the most time with the Mavericks but has been with the Raptors since signing in December. He has been with the team full-time since the end of February.
During his South Carolina basketball career, Lawson was an all-SEC contributor. Following an early high school graduation, he spent three years in garnet and black. Despite leaving Columbia early, Lawson went undrafted. Still, he has stuck around in the professional game since going pro in 2021. With the Raptors out of playoff contention, Lawson should continue earning a chance to prove himself.
