A.J. Lawson Bio
Anthony Randolph Lawson, known professionally as A.J. Lawson, is a Canadian professional basketball player for the Toronto Raptors of the National Basketball Association (NBA), on a two-way contract with the Raptors 905 of the NBA G League. Standing 198 cm (6 ft 6 in) and weighing 81 kg (179 lb), he plays as a guard/forward and has built his career across multiple G League affiliates and NBA organizations since going undrafted in 2021. He played college basketball for the South Carolina Gamecocks of the Southeastern Conference (SEC).
Born on July 15, 2000, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Lawson developed into one of Canada’s top prospects after a standout youth career that included international play for his country. He reached the 2024 NBA Finals with the Dallas Mavericks and has continued his professional journey as a two-way player in Toronto.
Early Life and Background
Lawson grew up in Brampton, Ontario, a city in the Greater Toronto Area known for producing Canadian basketball talent. He attended St. Marguerite d’Youville before transferring to GTA Prep, a basketball academy based out of Mississauga Secondary School, where he was coached by David Cooper. During his grade 12 season at GTA Prep, he was named a National Preparatory Association (NPA) First Team All-Star and led his team to a second-place finish at the NPA championships.
Originally set to graduate in 2019, Lawson was ranked 40th in his class by 247Sports and was considered the fourth-best Canadian prospect by North Pole Hoops. He reclassified to the class of 2018, a move that accelerated his path to the NCAA. Lawson eventually committed to South Carolina over offers from Tulane and Creighton, after Gamecocks head coach Frank Martin began recruiting him following a late-night workout in Columbia during a return trip from a tournament.
Path to Basketball
Lawson’s rise through Canada’s basketball system began with strong showings in preparatory circuits and national-team play. As a member of the Canada men’s national under-19 team, he averaged 14.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game at the 2018 FIBA Under-18 Americas Championship, helping Canada finish second. He posted team highs of 18 points and 12 rebounds in the tournament final, a 113–74 loss to the United States.
The following summer, Lawson starred at the 2019 FIBA Under-19 Basketball World Cup, where he averaged a team-best 16.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 3.4 assists in seven games as Canada advanced to the quarterfinals. He recorded the highest single-game scoring performance of the tournament with 31 points against Senegal. These international displays established him as a high-level NBA prospect before he ever set foot on an NCAA court.
A.J. Lawson Career
College Career (2018–2021)
As a freshman at South Carolina during the 2018–19 season, Lawson averaged 13.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.9 assists in 29 games, earning a place on the SEC All-Freshman Team. On November 19, 2018, he was named SEC Freshman of the Week after averaging 15.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 5.3 assists over a three-game stretch against Norfolk State, Providence, and George Washington. Following that season, he briefly entered the 2019 NBA draft pool but withdrew to return to South Carolina for his sophomore year.
Heading into his sophomore season, Lawson was named to the preseason First Team All-SEC and the Jerry West Award watchlist, and was ranked the 41st-best collegiate player by CBS Sports. He scored a season-high 28 points on November 15, 2019, in a 90–63 win over Cleveland State, and led the Gamecocks with 416 total points and 13.4 points per game. He again declared for the draft in 2020 before withdrawing on July 29. As a junior in 2020–21, Lawson set a career-high 30 points on January 6, 2021, in a 78–54 win over Texas A&M, and averaged 16.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and 1.5 steals per game, earning Second Team All-SEC honors. On April 19, 2021, he declared for the 2021 NBA draft and signed with an agent.
Early Professional Career (2021–2022)
After going undrafted in the 2021 NBA draft, Lawson joined the Miami Heat and Atlanta Hawks for the 2021 NBA Summer League, then signed with the Hawks on September 22, 2021, before being waived on October 7. He landed with the College Park Skyhawks of the NBA G League, where he played 26 games and averaged 11.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game while shooting 48.1 percent from the field. On April 26, 2022, he signed with the Guelph Nighthawks of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) for that summer’s season.
Minnesota and Dallas Era (2022–2024)
Lawson joined the Dallas Mavericks for the 2022 NBA Summer League, averaging 15.6 points and 6.0 rebounds across five games on 51.9 percent shooting. On July 19, 2022, he signed a two-way contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves and split time with their G League affiliate, the Iowa Wolves, before being waived on October 15. After a brief return to College Park, he signed a two-way contract with the Dallas Mavericks on December 26, 2022, splitting time with the Texas Legends.
His Mavericks contract was converted to a standard NBA contract on March 4, 2024, and Lawson reached the 2024 NBA Finals, where Dallas lost to the Boston Celtics in five games. He was waived by the Mavericks on October 8, signed another two-way deal three days later, and was waived again on October 18, 2024, before joining the Long Island Nets on October 27, 2024.
Toronto Raptors (2024–Present)
On December 11, 2024, Lawson signed a two-way contract with the Toronto Raptors, linking up with their G League affiliate, Raptors 905. On March 10, 2025, he scored a career-high 32 points with 12 rebounds against the Washington Wizards, and two days later he posted 28 points in 36 minutes off the bench against the Philadelphia 76ers, shooting 10-of-20 from the field and 4-of-9 from three in a 118–105 victory. On April 12, 2025, he and the Raptors converted his two-way contract into a two-year, non-guaranteed deal. He made 26 appearances (two starts) for Toronto in 2024–25, averaging 9.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.2 assists.
On October 16, 2025, Lawson was waived by the Raptors, and two days later he re-signed with the team on a two-way contract. His role in Toronto has centered on providing scoring punch and perimeter shooting off the bench, and he also debuted with Canada’s senior men’s national team during the first round of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 Americas Qualifiers.
Driving Style and Strengths
Lawson is a long, athletic guard-forward whose strengths lie in scoring efficiency and three-point shooting. Across his G League stints he has shot better than 48 percent from the field, and he has shown a knack for high-volume scoring nights, including a 32-point double-double with the Raptors and a 31-point FIBA Under-19 World Cup performance. His length, footwork, and rebounding from the wing give him a versatile two-way profile that fits modern NBA schemes.
Notable Events and Milestones
Lawson’s most significant milestone is his appearance in the 2024 NBA Finals with the Dallas Mavericks. He also set a career high of 32 points against the Washington Wizards on March 10, 2025, and recorded the highest single-game scoring mark of the 2019 FIBA Under-19 Basketball World Cup with 31 points against Senegal. He earned SEC All-Freshman Team and Second Team All-SEC honors during his three college seasons.
A.J. Lawson Career Wins
Lawson’s professional career has been built on consistent production in the G League and summer leagues rather than major individual trophies. He has made the playoffs with the Dallas Mavericks organization and appeared in the 2024 NBA Finals. His college résumé includes SEC All-Freshman Team (2019) and Second Team All-SEC (2021) selections, while he helped Canada’s U18 and U19 teams to a silver medal and a quarterfinal finish, respectively.
NBA and G League Highlights
Lawson played 26 games for the College Park Skyhawks in 2021–22, averaging 11.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game. With the Dallas Mavericks’ Summer League team in 2022, he averaged 15.6 points and 6.0 rebounds. He made 26 appearances for the Toronto Raptors in 2024–25, averaging 9.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.2 assists. He reached the 2024 NBA Finals with Dallas.
A.J. Lawson Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Detailed public information about Lawson’s parents and extended family is not available in verified sources.
Personal Life
Lawson is a Canadian national who was born and raised in the Greater Toronto Area. He maintains an active presence on social media, including Instagram and X (formerly Twitter).
2025 Season Performance
Lawson’s 2024–25 season with the Toronto Raptors marked his most productive NBA stretch to date. In 26 appearances (two starts), he averaged 9.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.2 assists, with his two-way contract converted to a two-year, non-guaranteed deal in April 2025 after a string of high-scoring performances in March.
Heading into 2025–26, Lawson’s roster status shifted when the Raptors waived him on October 16, 2025, only to re-sign him two days later to a two-way contract. The move reflected Toronto’s continued confidence in his shooting and wing depth. He remained closely tied to the Raptors 905 in the G League when not on the NBA roster.
His outlook for the 2025–26 season centers on earning rotation minutes off the bench for the Raptors, building on his career-best 32-point outing and 28-point follow-up from March 2025. With his contract now a two-way deal, Lawson’s pathway back to a standard NBA contract will depend on his scoring efficiency and perimeter shooting with both Toronto and Raptors 905.