Twenty years after the Toronto Raptors’ inaugural season, Canada’s team has become a force to be reckoned with. After years of number one picks, trades and constant rebranding, here are some reasons why you should support the only team north of the American border.
Unlike the NHL, which has a few Canadian teams, the Toronto Raptors are Canada’s sole representative in the NBA. Unlike every other team that represents a city or state, the Raptors represent the entire nation, and we as Canadians should take pride and support anyone who dons the red and white.
The Raptors are the only reason there is a Canadian flag at every NBA game, so it’s not surprising that in the last two years the Raptors have received massive support from all over the country and have been referred to as “Canada’s very own team.” By supporting this team, you’re showing your Canadian pride, and nothing beats that.
Arguably one of the best rappers in hip-hop right now, Canada’s own Aubrey “Drake” Graham, is a global ambassador for the Toronto Raptors. Watching the Raptors presents you with the chance to catch the passionate artist on the courtside at most home games.
Drake designed one of the alternate jerseys that the Raptors will be wearing this season and he constantly expresses his love for the team through various Raptors’ references on his hit tracks. In short, if you love Drake, you have to love the Raptors because they both keep it “hot up in the six.”
Following back-to-back first round exits from the NBA playoffs, the Raptors have dug deep into their pockets and restructured the team into a true contender in the weaker Eastern conference. In the 2014–15 season, the team finished with a 48–34 record, which was good enough to finish fourth in the East; but despite their solid offence, one thing the Raptors constantly struggled with was defence.
This off-season they added defensive-minded DeMarre Carroll, top shot blocker Bismack Biyombo and Canada’s own, Cory Joseph. These new players, in addition to the one of the best cores in the league — Demar Derozan and Kyle Lowry — will make the Toronto Raptors one of the top defensive units in the league in the upcoming 2015–16 season. This means that you are not going to be watching a losing team; you are going to be watching true contenders if you choose to support the Raptors next season.
Even though they were previously only known for Vince Carter, the current Toronto Raptors squad is home to former dunk champion, Terrence Ross, two-time finalist Demar Derozan and high flyer James Johnson, who had one of the most impressive dunks of the previous season. Watching the Raptors promises no dull moments and you are guaranteed entertainment, as these high flyers are usually cleared for take-off in the games.
During last year’s playoff series, the Raptors had approximately 7,000 fans cheering from “Jurassic Park,” a square outside the sold-out Air Canada Centre where fans flock to watch the games on giant screen TVs. No other NBA team can boast of this kind of dedication, so supporting the Raptors gives you a chance to be a part of one of the most loyal fan bases in sports.
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Tobi Ajayi