Article content

TORONTO — Before we go too far down the road of DeMar DeRozan’s altruistic commitment to Toronto as his basketball home, it is worth noting that the contract he signed here two years ago was for US$139 million.

Many of us would find enthusiasm for a place where that kind of money is available. Not only would I declare “I Am Delaware” for $140 million, I’d put it on a shirt and maybe ink a subtle tattoo.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or So long to DeMar DeRozan, that rarest of NBA stars who loved Toronto over anywhere else Back to video

But, even though he was well paid to do it, DeRozan did embrace Toronto in a way few athletes in his position have. Relative to professional basketball players, he embraced it in a way none of his stature have.

A curious thing about sports fandom is that there is a strong desire to have athletes care as much about their teams, and their cities, as do the people who were born there. For Toronto, which is at once a big-time hockey market and something of a backwater in NBA terms, such a relationship between the town and Raptors players has been exceedingly rare. Those who genuinely did love the place — Jerome Williams and Matt Bonner come to mind — were role players, but the stars, when they were in a position to do so, left. Whether they reached free agency and took off, or forced their way out via trade, or refused to ever show up, the list of guys who treated the Raptors like an island from which they had to escape also happens to include most of the best players to ever wear the jersey.