Axel Toupane has worked hard to get to this point.
Now 23, he started playing pro-level basketball as a teenager in 2008 in France, where he was born. He played there for a few years before setting his sights on the United States. After Summer League and one preseason game with the Toronto Raptors, he was picked up by Raptors 905 of the NBA Development League. In 32 games, Toupane averaged 14.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and a steal per game. To cap it all off, at the end of the season, Toupane was named the 2015-16 NBA D-League Most Improved Player.