Much to the chagrin of Toronto basketball fans, the Raptors recently said their goodbyes to DeMar DeRozan, a four-time NBA All-Star and 2009 first round pick. A friendly fan favourite, DeRozan leaves the Raptors a franchise legend, leading their all-time lists in free throws made, total minutes and regular season games played.
In an Instagram post, Torontonian rapper Drake thanked DeRozan, saying that he was “an incredible captain and an even better friend”, going onto note that DeRozan is a “fixture in Toronto forever”. That pretty much sums it up. Despite some occasional subpar postseason play, DeRozan really was a fixture in this city’s basketball landscape, serving as a formidable leader and an excellent face of the franchise.