Others expressed confusion about the currency and perhaps being unable to purchase food at groceries and might starve. Many complained about living in a a foreign land.Īntonio Davis, who later spent two seasons with the Bulls, famously said he was worried his children couldn't be educated because of the mysterious metric system. In various ways, early stars Damon Stoudemire, Tracy McGrady, Chris Bosh and Vince Carter forced their way out. But the Vancouver Grizzlies soon left for Memphis and questions swirled about the fate of the Raptors even despite strong local financing.
Canada, which housed an original NBA franchise in Toronto in 1946, returned with two franchises. Such an exit was the preferred path of just about every top American player to be drafted by or traded to the Raptors since their entry into the NBA in 1995. The Raptors did get a championship out of it in 2019, blunting the blow, at least for Raptors fans, though Leonard left Toronto after one season. But believing the team had plateaued, Raptors management took a chance swapping the popular DeRozan for Kawhi Leonard. And also rank among the league leaders in numerous categories, top five in steals, blocks, three-point shooting and point differential and defense.ĭeMar DeRozan spent his first nine NBA seasons as a Toronto Raptor.ĭeRozan's contribution wasn't unexpected given his status as a four-time All-Star and twice All-NBA with a career scoring average of 20.1 per game and 21.9 in 58 playoff games, 51 for the Raptors including an Eastern Conference finals appearance in 2016. It's enabled the Bulls, albeit against weak competition, to get a rare fast start on a season.
DeRozan, the 6-6 swingman guard/forward, has been a big part of that, second in scoring to Zach LaVine at 21.3 per game while also ranking in the team's top three in rebounding and assists, fourth in steals and fifth in blocks. The Bulls at 3-0 have equalled their best start, achieved just one other time, since the 1996-97 championship season when they started 12-0. It's like my second home."įortunately for the Bulls, Chicago has become DeRozan's fourth home after a stop in San Antonio following nine seasons with the Raptors. It's always bittersweet going back, seeing people I grew up knowing that work there, everything about it. you definitely have an emotional connection to that organization, that city. To see the whole city grow, the organization grow, me being a big part of that.
I was 19 years old, moving to a country I've never been to and they embraced me and took me in like I was one of their own. "Every time I'm ever back it's definitely been emotional," DeRozan was saying late Saturday night as the Bulls prepared to play the back-home-again Toronto Raptors Monday. In the last decade, it may have been the kid from the tough streets of Compton, Calif. Back then it was the British who saved Canada. That is until DeMar DeRozan came along some two centuries later. Americans haven't thought much of embracing Canada since hostile takeover attempts during the Revolutionary War and War of 1812.