Justise Winslow isn't taking anything for granted with a second shot at the NBA

“It was one of those things where you can feel the momentum, and I started to fill it,” Winslow told CityNews about getting the contract. “Coach Hory (Raptors 905 head coach) called me and he gave me the good news, and I may not have been very happy on the phone, but my heart was racing. I'm so excited!”

The 27-year-old was drafted 10th overall by the Miami Heat in 2015 and spent time with the Memphis Grizzlies, Los Angeles Clippers and Trail Blazers.

“I don't take any of this for granted anymore. It is an honor to play in this league. I treat him with such respect and joy and gratitude.”

That joy and gratitude was felt both in the 905 and in his presence — be it on the court for impromptu karaoke sessions to keep morale up while stuck on the team bus for hours at the U.S. border, or to encourage his teammates or take shots.

“Justise is one of those players that I clicked with right away,” said Raptors 905 guard Drake Jeffries, who was with Winslow when he learned of the 10-day deal. “I didn't think we'd have such a good friendship, but our friendship, me and 'juice' are so close, he's a great teammate and friend and brings such energy with him.”

The 27-year-old player played in 13 games for the Raptors 905 and averaged 16.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists and shot 50.3 percent from the field.

“It's definitely been a process,” Winslow said of getting back into a rhythm and feeling comfortable on the court. “It was not easy. There's been some good days and some bad days, some ups and downs, but you know, just stay the course.”

“I have goals and indicators that I want to achieve. The first one was healthy enough to play, then impressed and finally got the call-up.”

So what's the next benchmark for it?

“It's really about asserting myself and just being comfortable out there and playing the game that I love. I've hit the benchmarks, I'm just trying to do my best and let the rest do it.”

It's safe to say that the Raptors' season has been an emotional rollercoaster. Heading into Monday night's game against the San Antonio Spurs, they have the fourth-worst record in the East with 19 wins and have added nine new faces to the roster in the past six weeks. As one of the new faces, he spoke with Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic about his impact on the team.

“My defense is something that can be contagious and really make a team better. I can also take leadership. It's only his first year here, so he's still trying to figure out his identity with this group and the organization as a whole. So help develop this culture. I've been fortunate enough to be a part of good programs, either professionally or even in high school like Duke and Team USA. So it's about taking all of that with me and trying to help these guys reach their potential.”

The Raptors also signed 905 player Mouhamadou Gui to a 10-day contract. The 6-foot-9 forward averaged 14.3 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 30.9 minutes in 28 Showcase Cup and regular-season games with the Raptors 905 this season.