It’s safe to assume that the cheers will be louder Sunday for DeMar DeRozan than for most of the other players in the NBA All-Star Game in Toronto. The guard is in his seventh season with the Toronto Raptors, and set to make his second All-Star appearance, this time in front of his home crowd.
DeRozan spoke with Nike about playing with the game’s best in front of fans in Toronto as well as living nearly 2,200 miles away from his Compton, Calif., home.
“Still to this day it’s an adjustment,” he said. “My first year here, I was wearing Chucks in the snow. I didn’t know any different. I was wearing a regular hoodie instead of a down jacket. So I’ve had to evolve my wardrobe because of the winter.”
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DeRozan was drafted by the Raptors ninth overall in 2009. The guard hits the court in Nike’s latest and greatest basketball sneakers, including the Kobe 11, as well as past favorites, like the Kobe 10 EXT Mid “Liquid Gold” and the Air Foamposite One “Wheat.” What he’ll wear during the All-Star Game is still a mystery, but he will undoubtedly chose something that will keep sneakerheads talking.
His excitement of getting on the court and playing in front of the home crowd Sunday cannot be understated.
“It will mean a lot to be able to go out there and represent the home team,” he said. “That’s what it’s all about: Being on the highest level, being able to have people recognize Toronto for its sport — it’s something the city deserves.”
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