After news broke that Kawhi Leonard was being shipped from San Antonio to Toronto, you likely knew it was only a matter of time before Drake chimed in.
The rapper is not only a Toronto native, but he's also an official "global ambassador" for the club. It's a pretty serious relationship; Drake's passionate about basketball and is often spotted courtside, the team has Drake-themed nights and an alternate uniform inspired by the musician's record label. So when anything major happens with the team, it's fair to anticipate some Drake reaction.
Over the years, Drake has established a pretty firm friendship with now-former Raptors star DeMar DeRozan, who was sent to the Spurs in the deal for Leonard. In the wake of Wednesday's trade, Drake was in his feelings on Instagram.
The majority of the post was dedicated to showing DeRozan gratitude, which is well-earned after nine pretty outstanding years of basketball in Toronto -- not to mention some fierce loyalty and commitment to the city and its people.
To my brother @demar_derozan I want to say 10 million thank you's on behalf of YOUR city. 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.
Some might say that Drake did a better job of showing appreciation for DeRozan than the Raptors did themselves. DeRozan's farewell from the club was noticeably underwhelming.
What hasn’t gone unnoticed by some players is how there is no statement in the Raptors’ press release thanking DeMar DeRozan for his contributions over a nine-year period.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) July 18, 2018
Drake also used the tail end of his post to welcome Kawhi into the fold and look forward to the future.
To Kawhi...we look forward to a this new chapter and we welcome you to the most intense and supportive city in NBA basketball!!! You have always been a poised clinical warrior and I can't wait to see how Toronto inspires your fight. Let's Go Raptors.
All in all, not a bad offering from Drake. However, it may not be good enough to actually get Kawhi excited about playing for the Raptors. Or good enough to make DeRozan forget about the team punked him.
