It’s tough to root for another city’s team. It’s especially tough to root for another city your hometown shares a rivalry with. So when we think of the Toronto Raptors, it makes sense how many in Centretown won’t exactly be clamouring for Kyle Lowry jerseys.
But we’re taking the wrong approach. Toronto Raptors, for better or worse, are Canada’s team. Basketball is a fast growing sport both here at home and internationally. If Ottawa wants to call itself a great sport city, then getting in on the Raptor love-fest is going to go a long way.
It’s not as if Ottawa doesn’t already have a great bedrock foundation from which to build a basketball community.
Carleton University men’s basketball is a dynasty, having won 11 of the last 13 national championships. It’s one of the defining features of the university, and draws big crowds to support their on-court dominance.
And now is the perfect time to jump on the Raptor-pulled bandwagon.
The dinos are at a respectable 12-9 record, currently sitting 7th in the Eastern Conference, but the caveat being they slogged through arguably the most difficult stretch of their schedule.
With easier times on the horizon and a decent start, it’s easy to be optimistic about this year’s squad.
Not to mention that Drake – love him or hate him – is a music superstar with strong ties with the team.
The Raptors even went so far as to have an OVO-themed jersey in honour of the rap mogul’s OVO brand.
With Drake hitting his peak mass appeal at the same time that the Raptors are climbing in the standings, it’s easy to see how they’re poised to claw at a mass audience.
Add in to the mix that Kyle Lowry is considered one of the best point guards in the Eastern Conference and DeMar DeRozen is likewise among the best shooting guards, and you have all the right personnel in place for success.
And these guys are, most importantly, marketable, charismatic, hard-working players who are easy to cheer for. Gone are the Vince Carter days where to some his departure from the city is still a sore spot, even over a decade later.
One last reason to support the Raptors: Canada’s arrival on the basketball scene.
In 2013 and 2014, two Canadian players were selected number one overall in their respective drafts.
While 2013’s Anthony Bennett hasn’t exactly panned out yet, 2014’s Andrew Wiggins looks poised to take the league by storm.
Full disclosure: Wiggins went to my high school and we played pickup ball together once, so maybe I’m biased, but the man has the right mix of talent and likability to put Canada on the basketball map.
Not to mention that the Raptors have a couple of homegrown players currently on the roster. One is Bennett, currently relegated to the bench.
The other is Cory Joseph, fresh off a recent championship bid and a new four year, $30-million contract signing, the young GTA native is earning his money, providing steady backup minutes to Kyle Lowry.
Toronto is hosting the NBA All-Star games. Canada is producing top-tier talent. Basketball is growing and the Raptors are on the rise.
The writing is on the wall: Canada has arrived on the basketball scene. Ottawa should show its support for Canada’s team, and encourage young hopefuls in the Ottawa area to look to Toronto for inspiration.
It’s a win-win. A slam-dunk.