Nearly three months ago, Ryan Toolson played in his final game as a Wolverine. As the clock neared quadruple zero, coach Dick Hunsaker cleared the bench allowing Toolson to revel in his final moments as a college superstar with the crowd giving him a standing ovation as he made his way to the bench. What seemed like the perfect ending to an outstanding college career quickly became the perfect beginning to what lies ahead for one of the best shooters in the country.
Since the season has ended, Toolson has been doing his best to prepare for the upcoming NBA Draft, which will take place on June 25th. In April Toolson traveled to Virginia to play in the Portsmouth Invitational, a prestigious tournament used to allow the top seniors in the country to play in front of NBA scouts.
“I finally was able to prove that I could play defense against some of the better players in college basketball,” Toolson said of his Portsmouth experience. “I think that was my main goal going in.”
Toolson proved himself worthy of the Invitational invite and helped his team win the tournament, defeating teams with far more lauded players. “We played teams that were stacked with players from big-name teams and we beat them by 20,” Toolson said. “Together, as smaller individual players from smaller schools we played together as a team.”
Since returning from the Invitational, Toolson has signed with an agent and has been working out with a personal trainer in order to get himself ready to play against bigger, stronger opponents than he faced while at UVU. All while making sure he’s getting his shots up and working on all aspects of his game.
With nearly three weeks to go before the Draft, Toolson will play the waiting game, seeking opportunities to work out for NBA teams and testing the market overseas. Whether the NBA commissioner calls Toolson’s name over the podium or not you can bet that the former Wolverine will succeed wherever he chooses to play the game he loves.
