The Canadian PressBefore there were the myriad first-round NBA draft picks out of the Greater Toronto Area, the Carleton Ravens, and the Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan era with the Toronto Raptors, there was the Vancouver Grizzlies, University of Victoria Vikes dynasty and Steve Nash.
“There is amazing basketball atmosphere here. The times we played pre-season games in Vancouver, it felt like the atmosphere was just crazy." - DeMar DeRozan
The basketball pendulum has swung decidedly east in Canada, leaving even the Raptors to wonder when it will swing back west again. DeRozan was asked about the lack of speculation about the NBA returning to Vancouver after the Grizzlies departed to Memphis in 2001.
“It surprises me . . . it is interesting you don’t get much talk about it,” said the gold medallist for the U.S. at both the 2014 World Cup in Spain and 2016 Rio Summer Olympics.
The Raptors star has seen the B.C. interest in hoops, particularly for the Raptors, first hand. Canada’s lone NBA franchise is holding training camp this week at the CARSA gymnasium on the UVic campus. It is the fourth consecutive year, and fifth time overall, the Raptors have held their training camp in B.C.
“There is amazing basketball atmosphere here. The times we played pre-season games in Vancouver, it felt like the atmosphere was just crazy,” said DeRozan, after practice Wednesday in CARSA.
DeRozan also held a basketball camp for youngsters in Vancouver over the summer.
“I didn’t think it would be as big as it was . . . just the love and the Raptors fans we have out west,” he said.
That will be on display again tonight at 7 when the Raptors play an intra-squad game in the CARSA gym. The 2,300 seats sold out in less than 20 minutes. A limited number of standing-room tickets will go on sale at 5:30 with fans expecting to be lined up long before that.
All training camp practices are closed, and the intra-squad game is the lone public appearance by the Raptors. The Raptors, however, conducted clinics for young Island basketball players on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings at CARSA.
Tonight’s intra-squad will be played in a four fourth-quarters format, or think of it as four successive mini games. The idea is to provide immediacy, and put pressure on the players to perform, especially hopefuls like Malcolm Miller.
Miller is from Maryland and played pro last season in Germany. The 24-year-old small forward is new to the pan-Canadian nature of the Raptors fan base, but it has become evident to him, since signing a two-way contract with the club in July.
“You can see and feel that this team represents Canada . . . represents the entire country,” said Miller, who is expected to be assigned to the G-League farm team Raptors 905.
“It’s big here with a lot of fan interest and a lot of love from the fans.”
The likes of DeRozan, Lowry and Jonas Valanciunas don’t have to worry about impressing anyone tonight. Everybody knows what they can do. Miller and Canadians Kyle Wiltjer and Andy Rautins are among the bubble players hoping to make an impression on the Raptors brain trust during any opportunity they get, including tonight, and continuing Sunday and Tuesday in Hawaii when the Raptors open the NBA pre-season with games against the Los Angeles Clippers.
“Germany was great but the style of play was different. I now have an opportunity to show what I can do here, and this is nice to get,” said Miller.
CAMP NOTES: DeRozan was asked about his favourite thing about the Vancouver Grizzlies: “The bright jerseys.” And favourite all-time Vancouver Grizzlies player: “Mike Bibby.” . . . Kyle Wiltjer got his picture taken Wednesday on the CARSA gym floor holding up his Olympian dad Greg Wiltjer’s 1983-84 playing card from his national championship season with the UVic Vikes.
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