Dwane Casey is the longest tenured head coach in Toronto Raptors franchise history. He is also the winningest coach in their history.
After taking the time to script a thank you letter in the Toronto Star to the fans and people of Canada, he may just be their classiest representative in history, too.
The 61-year-old was fired on Friday, but expressed his gratitude for fans who packed both the Air Canada Centre and Jurassic Park, Larry and Judy Tanenbaum and the MLSE board of directors, and for teaching his All-American family “the Canadian way.”
That being polite and considerate to one another is always the best way. That diversity is something to be embraced and celebrated. That taking the time to learn about each other’s cultures is the surest way to find common ground and understanding. Thank you for making our children feel safe, valued, and comfortable in their own skin. We cannot express how important it has been to build the foundations of who our children are as human beings in a country that shows through its words, actions and laws that all people deserve basic human rights, and a chance to reach their goals through education and hard work.
He even had some fun with the letter, thanking everyone for putting up with his southern sayings that became better known as Caseyisms, and for his “awkwardly placed hats.”
Casey led the Raptors to three consecutive 50-win seasons, a total they had never achieved before. The Raptors also made five playoff appearances in each of the last five seasons, which is as many as they achieved in their previous 18 years of existence.
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