TORONTO - Nearly eight years ago, the Raptors took a low-risk chance on an intriguing prospect out of Texas when they used a second-round draft pick to select the position-less P.J. Tucker. Tucker, a 6-foot-5, 225-pound bull, had the build of a power forward trapped in the frame of a shooting guard. By all accounts he was a misfit, destined to end up in the leagues scrapheap with the vast majority of its second-rounders. During his rookie season, Tucker played 21 games for Toronto, bouncing back and forth from the D-League before he was waived by the team less than a year into his NBA journey. After playing in six countries over the next five years, Tucker returned to the league and put up career-highs as a 28-year-old starting for the Phoenix Suns last season. The league has changed and, as a result, so has the need for players that are able to easily adapt. Enter Iowa State senior and Toronto-native Melvin Ejim, who is hoping to hear his named called sometime during the second round in this months draft. Like Tucker and many talented prospects before him, Ejim has been labeled a "tweener" - a hybrid player stuck in between positions as a result of size, strength or skill set. For a long time, the term carried a negative connotation in NBA circles. Who will he defend? How does he fit in? Now its become the norm. Tweeners, combo guards, stretch fours. As teams continue to challenge the defence with smaller, quicker lineups, the NBA is evolving into a league void of prototypical positions. On Thursday, the Miami Heat will begin their pursuit of a third consecutive title led by LeBron James, perhaps the most unique basketball player weve ever seen, capable of playing and guarding four or five positions on the floor at a high level. Last week, Oklahoma City was eliminated in the Western Conference Finals with three point guards on the court together down the stretch of Game 6. The team that ousted them and Miamis opponent in the Finals, the Spurs possess the versatility to match up with almost any style of play, thanks in large part to their versatile wings - Kawhi Leonard, Danny Green and Boris Diaw. Ultimately, what position you play is less important than the underlying question - can you play? At 6-foot-6, 220 pounds, Ejim is confident that theres a place for him and his well-rounded game on an NBA team. "I think it depends on how you look at the word tweener," he said following Wednesday mornings pre-draft workout in the Raptors practice facility at the Air Canada Centre. "If you see it as a valuable thing, then I think that I bring a lot of stuff. I think that Im a small forward and I bring versatility to be able to defend bigger guys, I have a strong body that can do a lot of things defensively. Then offensively [Im] versatile, can shoot the ball and play inside and out. And if you dont consider those good things, then I guess tweeners a bad thing." Ejim, the Big 12 Conference player of the year, has fully embraced his basketball identity. "Its better than being called a glue guy," he said of the tweener label. "Ive yet to see anyone say, yo, youre a tweener, we dont really do tweeners over here," Ejim joked. "And honestly, its not even about being a tweener, its about being a player. If youre somebody that can go out and play basketball on different levels and play at different positions, then youre valuable, youre a good player." Following Tuesdays auditions, a pair of combo guards, Jordan Clarkson and Nick Johnson - also expected to go in the second round - echoed a similar sentiment. Versatility will also be a valuable commodity when the Raptors make their first-round selection at pick no. 20. UCLAs Kyle Anderson is a point guard in a 6-foot-9 body, athletic Clemson product K.J. McDaniels can defend multiple positions, while NC States T.J. Warren projects as a versatile and unconventional scorer. All three wing players are expected to workout in Toronto later this week. "Its almost a positive in todays game," said Dan Tolzman, director of scouting for the Raptors. "You want the flexibility that if a team goes big against you, you have the ability to just shift guys over a spot and keep your best players out there. I think the same goes the other way. If guys go small, youd like to have perimeter players that can bang down low and can rebound hard when youre in a small ball game. I think its just the progression of the game." Working out alongside fellow Canadian Khem Birch, a Montreal-native out of UNLV, Ejim impressed the Raptors, not only with his versatility and commitment to defence but with his approach, maturity and professionalism. "He came in [wearing] slacks and a nice button-down shirt," Tolzman said of Ejim. "He looked like he was coming to an interview and I think that clearly it resonates with us because this is a professional job interview for these guys." With a couple second-round picks at 37 and 59, the Raptors could consider selecting the hometown product, who would be a welcomed addition within Dwane Caseys system. Although his skill set continues to fly under the radar in a talented, wing-heavy draft class, its not hard to envision him catching on with a team and working his way into a rotation, not unlike Tucker in Phoenix. "His niche in my opinion will be as a defensive player," Tolzman said. "Hes a strong defender and I think the level of intensity he plays with bodes well for guys that focus on defence because when they give their all, they impact the game somehow, even if their shots not there." Reggie Wayne Jersey .35 million. The right-hander had agreed last February to a deal that pays him $3.775 million this year and allows him to earn an additional $225,000 in bonuses based on games finished. Indianapolis Colts Jerseys . - The Detroit Lions have placed tight end Brandon Pettigrew on injured reserve, ending his season. http://www.officialindianapoliscoltsfoot...g-jersey-womens. Curtis Davies and Robert Koren secured the victory with goals inside 35 minutes of the fifth-round replay against the second-tier side. Braden Smith Jersey . The light-heavyweight champion and number one ranked pound-for-pound fighter in the world is on an 11-fight UFC winning streak, the longest in the history of the weight class. John Simon Jersey . LOUIS -- David Ross never expected to be on a World Series podium.Ottawa, ON (SportsNetwork.com) - Erik Karlsson scored twice to give the Ottawa Senators a 4-3 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday. Mike Hoffman posted a goal and an assist and Mika Zibanejad also lit the lamp for the Senators, who had lost three of four coming into the game. Craig Anderson made 37 saves in the win. James van Riemsdyk, Nazem Kadri and David Clarkson scored for the Maple Leafs, who have fallen in each of their last six outings. James Reimer gave up all four goals on 26 shots in the loss. Final Score: Chicago 3, Pittsburgh 2 (SO) Pittsburgh, PA (SportsNetwork.com) - Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane both scored during the shootout to lift the Chicago Blackhawks to a 3-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday. After David Perrons backhander rang off the post, Toews froze Marc-Andre Fleury and shot the puck under his pads for the first goal in the skills competition. Corey Crawford made pad stop in tight on Sidney Crosby and Kane stickhandled his way up the middle and ended the game with a shot stick side. Marian Hossa tallied a goal and an assist, David Runblad also scored and Crawford made 33 saves for the Blackhawks, who halted a two-game skid heading into the All-Star break. Zach Sill scored his first NHL goal, Steve Downie lit the lamp and Fleury stopped 24 shots for the Penguins, who have lost four straight. Final Score: Winnipeg 4, Columbus 0 Winnipeg, MB (SportsNetwork.com) - Michael Hutchinson posted his second career shutout as the Winnipeg Jets defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-0 on Wednesday to enter the All-Star break with a five-game winning streak. Hutchinson made 29 saves and four Jets players backed up their rookie netminder as Blake Wheeler, Evander Kane, Jim Slater and Chris Thorburn all scored in the win. Curtis McElhinney stopped 17-of-18 shots after coming on for an injured Sergei Bobrovsky during the second period. Bobrovsky, who was selected to play in Sundays All-Star game in Columbus, suffered the injury after stretching out to make a save during the second period and had to be helped off the ice. He allowed three goals on 12 shots before exiting..dddddddddddd. Columbus forward Jeremy Morin also left the game with an injury. Final Score: Colorado 3, Boston 2 (SO) Denver, CO (SportsNetwork.com) - Nathan MacKinnon scored the winning goal in the shootout as the Colorado Avalanche rallied for a 3-2 win over the Boston Bruins on Wednesday. MacKinnon skated in on the first attempt and buried a wrister past Tuukka Rask. Semyon Varlamov then stopped Reilly Smith before David Pastrnak missed the net. Patrice Bergeron had the last chance for Boston, but Varlamov made the stop on the wrister to give Colorado the two points. Jarome Iginla and Ryan OReilly had the goals while Varlamov turned away 22 shots for the Avalanche, who snapped a two-game slide. Torey Krug and Brad Marchand scored for the Bruins, who have lost two of three. Rask finished the game with 34 saves. Final Score: Anaheim 6, Calgary 3 Anaheim, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Ben Lovejoy tallied a goal and an assist as the Anaheim Ducks cruised into the All-Star break with a 6-3 victory against the Calgary Flames. Tim Jackman, Pat Maroon, Kyle Palmieri, Ryan Kesler and Ryan Getzlaf all lit the lamp and Frederik Andersen made 30 saves for the Ducks, who have won five straight games. Sean Monahan scored for the fourth game in a row, while Joe Colborne and Mikael Backlund also lit the lamp for the Flames, who had their four-game winning streak come to an end. Jonas Hiller stopped 13-of-14 shots in relief of Joni Ortio, who allowed four goals on 11 shots. Anaheim extended its home winning streak to 20 games against Calgary. The Flames were last victorious at Honda Center on Jan. 19, 2004. Final Score: San Jose 4, Los Angeles 2 San Jose, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Logan Couture had two goals and an assist to lead the San Jose Sharks to a 3-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday. Patrick Marleau had a goal and an assist while Joe Pavelski also scored for the Sharks, who had lost their previous two coming in. Antti Niemi allowed two goals on 28 shots. Dustin Brown scored the only goal of the game for the Kings, who have lost four straight and seven of eight. Jonathan Quick gave up three goals on 24 shots. 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