Now that the dust is beginning to settle on the DeMar DeRozan–Kawhi Leonard trade that shook up the NBA early Wednesday morning, many Toronto Raptors fans are taking a moment to thank DeRozan for his nine seasons with the club he helped usher into contention.
Count Drake among them. The Toronto-born rapper and lifelong Raptors fan, who can often be found watching home games from his courtside seats, posted a photo to Instagram to express his gratitude toward DeRozan.
“To my brother @demar_derozan I want to say 10 million thank you’s on behalf of YOUR city,” Drake, who also serves as the team’s global ambassador, wrote. “You are a fixture in Toronto forever and you gave everything you had. Through your leadership we had the most exciting years in franchise history. I am grateful to have witnessed your combination of skill, persistence, and loyalty from the same seats every night. Thank you for being an incredible captain and an even better friend.”
He also had a message for Leonard:
“To Kawhi…we look forward to a this new chapter and we welcome you to the most intense and supportive city in NBA basketball!!!” he continued. “You have always been a poised clinical warrior and I can’t wait to see how Toronto inspires your fight. Let’s Go Raptors.”
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