If you think about the biggest up comers over the past 3 seasons in the NBA, Toronto Raptors guard Gradey Dick is right up there. The 21-year-old’s ascendency has been on the radar of the media since his collegiate days brought heat repping the Kansas Jayhawks crimson and blue.

In just his second season in the Association, he’s already played 107 games this season, averaging 15.3 points and 3.4 rebounds. Of course- the 27-pointer (4 RBS) masterclass against the Mavs. But that’s down to small athletic roots in his upbringing.

Who are Gradey Dick’s parents?

Born and brought up in Wichita, Kansas, he grew up a Christian child. He is the child of Bart and Carmen Dick. Carmen has a bit of a legacy in women’s college basketball history. She holds a legacy in the Cyclones women’s basketball team, having records like the second-best shooting percentage and most free throws made in a game. And just as a sidequest- she was the Iowa State female athlete of the year. Gradey is destined for greatness genetically- just a shame she couldn’t go pro.

Bart’s contribution was more on the mental side. The monster created in the mind of young Gradey that paid attention to small things like behavior and body language molded him into the player he is today. But Papa Dick applied those qualities himself on the pitch- not in basketball, but as a part of the Fort Hays State football and baseball player. And it seems that the Raptors accessed the script, making sure Gradey himself continues the Dick dynasty in sports.

‘Close-knit’ is what he calls his upbringing. This also built his maturity, saying that he’s patient about his career in the majors. He’s invested in the Raptors project for the long term regarding his role in the team. “Confidence comes from preparation, I just want to be the guy that perfects any role he’s given.” But Carmen’s artistic talent spreads to her other children as well, with Riley, Brodey, and Kelsey all being nurturing lovers of the hardwood dance. Watching their antics on and off the hardwood inspired him to reach the standards of the greats.

A deepdive into his pre-NBA career

He was a high school sensation. While playing for the Wichita Collegiate School, Gradey got 18 points a game against the rest of the scene. The final year did wonders for his career, it was the starting spark. Their journey to the state playoffs saw him step up the the game getting 20 PPG, putting his name in the McDonald’s All-American Game, and winning the Gatorade National Player of the Year in 2022.

He initially received offers from Iowa State, Florida, Illinois, and Baylor alongside Kansas, before choosing the Jayhawks. The 5-star recruit started the way he wanted to continue in the collegiate scene, averaging 8.5 points in his 60 games for the Kansas team. The echoes of the crowd that were present in the Allen Fieldhouse still haunt Lawrence streets when Gradey’s masterclass against the Omaha Mavs registered 23 points in an 89-64 win.

Gradey Dick still has a lot to give. The name he’s made for himself in just his second season speaks volumes of the character and the player Bart and Carmen set for him in the 2010s-20s growing him up in Wichita. And he’s on the right path, following in the footsteps of his idols Reggie Miller, Klay Thompson, and Stephen Curry.