demar derozan

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A little more than a month after kicking off training with the U.S. national team, Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan were standing on the podium in Rio, gold medals in hand. Electing to swap out offseason downtime with suiting up to represent their country, the duo had a month of basketball, bonding with fellow U.S. teammates, and an up-close view of the summer games. With a dominant 96-66 victory over Serbia in the gold medal game on Sunday afternoon, they also got to add Olympic gold medallist to their respective CVs.

In Sunday’s victory, DeRozan scored six points to go with two rebounds, two assists, and a blocked shot in 11 minutes of play. He shot 3-for-4 from the floor. Lowry played nearly 22 minutes, finishing with five points, five rebounds, five assists and two steals. The U.S. was a +21 when he was on the floor.

After getting off to a slow start, the U.S. trailed 13-11 when Lowry checked into the game. DeRozan joined him shortly after, and the Raptors backcourt, along with Paul George, Kevin Durant and DeMarcus Cousins helped the U.S. find its rhythm.  The United States would go on a 14-2 run to take control of the game and rolled toward the victory behind a 30-point effort from Kevin Durant and improved defensive intensity paired with offensive focus.

For a U.S. team being so deep on the perimeter, DeRozan’s role was mainly to provide scoring off the bench when needed. On Sunday, he was inserted into the game when Jimmy Butler had to go to the bench to be tended to by a team trainer. DeRozan filled in admirably on both ends of the floor and helped to kickstart the U.S. ball movement with a lovely pass to DeMarcus Cousins for an easy basket. Since Lowry and Kyrie Irving were the only point guards on the roster, Lowry often wound up coming in to settle things down on the offensive end and ramp them up defensively.  His hustle and defence were huge for a U.S. team that had to fight harder than it had become accustomed to in the preliminary round of the tournament.

Spain (along with familiar face/former Raptor Jose Calderon) joined the U.S. and Serbia on the podium, collecting bronze medals after defeating Australia in a thrilling 89-88 contest, while Serbia picked up silver. Jonas Valanciunas’ Olympics journey came to an end earlier in the week when Lithuania suffered a 90-64 loss to Australia in the quarterfinals. In six games, Valanciunas averaged 6.7 points, seven rebounds, and a blocked shot in just under 24 minutes per contest.

Teammates Delon Wright and Norman Powell were extremely vocal in support of their Raptors vets, posting shout outs on Instagram after the medal ceremony. For the two coming off their rookie season in the league, DeRozan and Lowry were the veterans who helped them learn the ropes of being in the NBA.

The Olympics capped off what was a magical year for Toronto’s leaders. After being named as All-Stars for the first All-Star game to be held in Toronto, the backcourt besties led the team to their best regular season finish, and then onto the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in franchise history before falling to the eventual NBA Champion Cleveland Cavaliers in six games. DeRozan immediately re-signed with Toronto in free agency and then he and Lowry were reunited to Las Vegas to begin their experience with their national team. 

With the Olympics coming to a close, Valanciunas, Lowry and DeRozan will each have a few weeks to regroup before heading to Toronto for training camp. However they choose to spend their final days of summer will be both hard earned and well deserved.

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An Olympics To Remember

Getting to compete in the Olympics is an opportunity that many people never get to experience. The trio of Toronto Raptors in Rio recognize this and have been doing their best to make the most of the opportunity.

Heading into Wednesday’s quarterfinals, Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan have helped the U.S. Team to a 5-0 record in the preliminary round. Lowry has been the team’s best option at point guard. DeRozan has popped off the bench to provide scoring and give the starters a breather. Both have impressed the coaching staff with their ability to adapt to their roles  on a team of superstar players. Jonas Valanciunas has had a bit of an up-and-down start in Rio, but Lithuania made it through preliminary action with a 3-2 record to finish third in their group, setting up a favourable schedule moving forward.

When the guys have been away from the floor, there’s been time to play tourist and get sightseeing in as well as birthdays to celebrate and presidents to pose with.

Below, a look at what Lowry, DeRozan and Valanciunas have been up to when not suiting up on court in Rio: 

DeRozan got things stared with his Instagram video from the team plane going viral when a grumpy Carmelo Anthony stole the show by refusing to join his teammates in a rendition of Vanessa Carlton’s “A Thousand Miles.”

Valanciunas started his Rio experience by snapping a quick selfie with Lithuanian president Dalia Grybauskaite:

Prior to preliminary action, Valanciunas and teammate Robertas Javtokas crossed an important item off the to-do list, posing in front of Christ the Redeemer while decked out in Lithuania basketball gear and massive smiles:

Valanciunas and his teammates also managed to fit in little bit of golf:

DeRozan celebrated his birthday on August 7, turning 27. Despite being away from family and friends, he was showered with appreciation by his teammates as well as by the NBA family as a whole. Lowry wrote a heartfelt and lengthy Instagram post to his bestie, highlighting all that the two have accomplished and endured since becoming teammates in Toronto:

Like Valanciunas and the Lithuanian team, Lowry and DeRozan made the trip to see Christ the Redeemer, posing for group photos: 

Lowry was sure to snap plenty of photos and videos to document the memories forever, smile plastered over his face:

Like Lowry, DeRozan was all smiles as the group continued their tour:

Of course, in addition to the sightseeing, there have been practice sessions, plenty of team dinners, and time to check out other athletes competing. Although neither Lithuania nor the U.S. Team have looked as sharp as they’d like through preliminaries, the true test will come in the quarterfinals where the tournament begins in earnest. 

Valanciunas and Lithuania will kick off the quarterfinals against Australia on Wednesday at 10 a.m. ET, while the U.S. Will face Argentina — and former Raptor Luis Scola — at 5:45 p.m. ET. 

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Raptors In Rio

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Notable Number 9 Picks in NBA Draft History

Kyle Lowry didn’t have any reason to doubt. 

After stripping the ball from Boston Celtics rookie Marcus Smart with 36 seconds remaining and Wednesday’s game tied at 105, Lowry already knew that DeMar DeRozan would be behind him, ready for his bounce pass.

Although the highlight reels and Twitter mentions couldn’t get enough of DeRozan’s thunderous dunk over Canadian Kelly Olynyk, it was the precision of Lowry’s gamble and depth of the connection he shares with DeRozan that allowed the play to take place.

“I know that DeMar is always going to trail me,” Lowry said. “I was just hoping he was hurrying up."

Since Lowry came to the Raptors in the summer of 2012, he and DeRozan clicked. On the court, the two are the franchise’s undisputed leaders. Away from it, they are friends first and teammates second. Bonding over their passion for basketball, desire to win and off-court duties of being first-time fathers, one can often be found with the other. 

It isn’t necessary for teammates to be best friends to have success, but it surely doesn’t hurt. Because DeRozan and Lowry spend so much time talking about their team and the league as a whole, there’s a familiarity that gives them an advantage against their opponents.

The Raptors have struggled with slow starts in their first five games of the season, but still own a 4-1 record. That mark is largely because of second-half work from Lowry and DeRozan. The team is quick to acknowledge they cannot continue to fall behind early and expect their two stars to bail them out.

In the meantime, head coach Dwane Casey is thankful for them both.

“Kyle’s a competitor,” Casey said. “He’s a grinder. DeMar was right behind him [on that play]. I was proud of the way DeMar attacked.”

While Lowry is carving his name into franchise history with his mix of skill, tenacity and competitiveness, DeRozan’s dunk wasn’t his only accomplishment in Toronto’s 110-107 victory against the Celtics. Contributing 23 points, DeRozan moved to fourth on the Raptors’ all-time scoring list. For a player who has constantly spoken about his commitment to the franchise that drafted him in 2009, it feels good to see his work pay off.

“That’s in the books forever,” DeRozan said. “It’s crazy when I honestly think about it.”

One thing he doesn’t ever have to stop to think about is what to do after Lowry gets a steal. 

“That’s our thing,” DeRozan said. “Whenever he’s on the fast break he knows I'm trailing him.That’s one thing for sure, every time he gets it, [and is] pushing it, I’m coming.”

Following a steal against the Celtics in early November, or a crushing miss against the Brooklyn Nets during Game 7 in May, DeRozan’s words about Lowry ring true. Ever since the point guard slipped on a Raptors jersey, DeRozan has had his back. As the group looks to build on last season and hopes to excel thanks to the blend of talent and chemistry, it is the bond between they leaders that sets the example for the rest of the roster.

Another key to the locker room is the unselfish nature of the team’s two stars. Content to share the spotlight with whoever is feeling it on a given night, DeRozan and Lowry care only about winning. When the two biggest names have their focus on the right things, the rest of the team has an easier time following. As the Raptors kick off a seven-game homestand, they hope to shake off their slow starts and save DeRozan and Lowry from needing to deliver late-game heroics. 

“That’s what’s great about our team,” DeRozan said. “It’s not just going to be me and Kyle, it could be anybody.”

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Backcourt Leadership Paving The Way For Raptors

After five years of nonstop work and dedication, DeMar DeRozan was rewarded for his efforts in the 2013-2014 season. Being named an All-Star reserve and making it to the playoffs for the first time in his career, DeRozan’s string of wins continued in the summer when he was named to Team USA and won a gold medal at the FIBA World Cup. As the good times multiplied, in true DeRozan fashion, the daily work continued. 

When DeRozan inked a four-year contract extension in 2012, many felt it made him overpaid. Today it looks like a bargain and the 25-year-old DeRozan shows no sign of slowing down. If Kyle Lowry sets the tone for the Raptors, it’s backcourt mate DeRozan who provides Lowry with the support he needs to be able to focus on pushing the team forward. 

With Lowry acknowledging that he and DeRozan understand how much the team depends on the two of them, there wasn’t time for either leader to celebrate the team’s return to the playoffs. Aware that expectations are much higher now, DeRozan is determined to take the Raptors farther.

Third-year swingman Terrence Ross was given a dose of reality about the work necessary to become an All-Star-calibre player in the NBA after spending much of his offseason training alongside DeRozan. The eighth pick in the 2012 Draft, Ross showed flashes of his potential last season, highlighted by a 51-point performance against the Los Angeles Clippers. Ross blamed himself for the final play in Toronto’s Game 7 loss, and is itching to show the improvements he has made to his game, starting with “about 15 pounds” of added muscle.

A priority for Toronto this season will be finding ways to manage the playing time of its starters. DeRozan was third in the league for total minutes played last season. The addition of Louis Williams and James Johnson will help to lighten the load. 

Williams is eager to show he’s fully recovered from an ACL tear that sidelined him for much of 2012-2013 and Toronto’s vets are happy to have the quick-scoring reserve backing them up. For a team that struggled with slowing down big and athletic wing players, the versatile, defensive-minded Johnson fills an obvious need. The pair will join Landry Fields and rookie Bruno Caboclo to bring depth on the perimeter.

“I think adding James will really be a benefit to us,” Lowry said. “Adding Lou is going to be a real big help for us. We're going to put pressure on him because we need him to score, that's what he is brought here to be. We want him to be the Lou Williams who in the fourth quarter might go off for 20. We've got guys who are ready to play. The guys are focused on getting to the next level.”

During the team’s annual media day, DeRozan revealed that he spent lots of time in Spain with Team USA teammate Kyrie Irving, discussing Irving’s crafty, creative finishes. After employing the services of a ball-handling specialist who worked with him for an hour daily after finishing the rest of his workout, DeRozan should have a tighter handle and, perhaps, some Irving-inspired finishing at the rim this season. With DeRozan’s work ethic rubbing off on Ross, it should be an entertaining season from the high-flying swingmen.

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Raptors 2014 Season Preview: Shooting Guards & Small Forwards

Holly MacKenzie

Toronto Raptors swingman DeMar DeRozan logged nearly 14 minutes against Serbia, finishing with 10 points, a rebound, an assist and a steal. He shot 3-for-4 from the floor and made his only three-point field goal attempt.

Over nine games with USA, DeRozan scored 4.8 points in 11.8 minutes per game, shooting 54 percent from the field. While he mostly saw time after games were locked up for Team USA, learning from the league’s best players and coaches was a huge opportunity for DeRozan and he didn’t take it for granted.

“It feels great,” DeRozan told Ball in Europe’s Emmet Ryan. “To come together with all these great guys, great coaches and win the gold medal representing our country.

“Especially playing at this high level with these great players you can learn so much from. Just to take this same energy, this experience back to my team.”

Together since mid-July minus a 10-day break to spend time with their families, the members of Team USA had plenty of time to share inspiration and bounce ideas off each other.

“It can’t do nothing but help you better your game,” DeRozan said. “It’ll help you as a leader even more. I’m definitely looking forward to this season.”

After two weeks of competition in Spain, Jonas Valanciunas and the Lithuanian national team fell 95-93 to France and just missed out on a bronze medal. Despite the loss and failure to medal, the World Cup was another step for Valanciunas in a busy summer of continued development. 

Valanciunas was at his best against France, scoring 25 points to go with nine rebounds in almost 35 minutes. He shot 8-for-12 from the floor, including getting off to an 8-for-10 start, and made nine of his 10 attempts from the line. What is likely to stay with Valanciunas will be the two layups missed with less than two minutes remaining after scoring five points to put Lithuania up five with three minutes to play.

Since Toronto fell to the Brooklyn Nets in a seven-game series in May, Valanciunas has been working to get ready for his third NBA season. In between suiting up for his country in Spain and spending part of his summer home in Lithuania, Valanciunas has worked with his Raptors teammates and coaching staff in Los Angeles and Las Vegas. 

It was easy to notice a stronger frame on the 22 year-old Raptors big man as he represented Lithuania. He also showed improved footwork and looked quick on his feet in Spain. 

Averaging 14.4 points and 8.4 rebounds over the nine games, Valanciunas shot a ridiculous 69.6 percent from the floor, better than anyone else in the tournament. His 8.4 rebounds ranked him sixth in the event. 

Perhaps the most impressive part of watching Valanciunas was the confidence he showed playing such a huge role for his national team. With plenty of pressure on him to serve as a leader and one of the best players on the roster, Valanciunas did his best to help his country try to medal. Although it fell just short to France, he’ll return to the Raptors a better player because of it.

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Team USA Wins Gold As World Cup Wraps Up In Spain

Holly MacKenzie - Raptors.comThanks to a Thursday evening victory against Lithuania, Team USA moves on to Sunday’s World Cup gold medal game. Bouncing back from an ugly first half, USA used a huge third quarter to pull away from Lithuania and finish with a dominant 96-68 victory.

After the game, USA head coach Mike Krzyzewski praised the competitive spirit of his opponent.

“It’s always an honour to play against Lithuania,” Krzyzewski said. “What a great basketball country.

“For us they were more than a worthy opponent tonight. They’re a really good opponent. We fouled like crazy. I can’t think of a game that I coached for the U.S. where it’s 42-20 [in favor of the opponent] for free throws. We’re usually the aggressor.”

After starting out slow and holding just an eight-point lead at the half, Team USA came out on fire after the break. Reeling off an 18-2 run to start the third quarter, USA found its groove and didn’t look back.

Kyrie Irving led Team USA with 18 points, while Klay Thomspon and James Harden scored 16 points apiece. 

“Kyrie [Irving] was special in this game, in that third quarter,” Krzyzewski said. “He got us moving. Everybody started moving with him. We feel very fortunate to be going on and playing on Sunday.”

Mindaugas Kuzminskas led Lithuania with 15 points and nine rebounds while Toronto Raptors big man Jonas Valanciunas scored 15 points and grabbed seven boards. Valanciunas recorded just five field goal attempts against USA’s front-heavy roster, but he spent much of his time at the free throw line where he shot 11-for-13 from the stripe.

“They definitely came out hard,” DeMar DeRozan told Ball in Europe’s Emmet Ryan. “They got two traditional bigs that were trying to play inside. We were just trying to contain everything they were trying to do.”

Harden scored all of his 16 points in the third quarter where Team USA outscored Lithuania 33-14 to own a commanding 76-49 lead going into the fourth.

“Maybe we let them go,” Valanciunas said.  “They really did it in the third quarter. They made their run. That was good from their side.”

The semifinal included plenty of chippiness as DeMarcus Cousins took offence to an elbow from Valanciunas and stepped toward him to let him know he wasn’t impressed. Cousins received a technical foul for his reaction. 

Despite the huge USA advantage, DeRozan was scoreless in eight minutes off of the bench. Thursday was the first time that Valanciunas and DeRozan had faced each other in international competition since Valanciunas was drafted by Toronto in 2012.

 While Valanciunas was disappointed with the outcome for Lithuania, he acknowledged that it was fun to take the court facing off against his Raptors teammate and said the two spoke before the game and that he wished him good luck in Sunday’s final after the final buzzer. 

Although he is playing a limited role for Team USA, DeRozan is continuing to embrace the opportunity of suiting up for his country and was excited to advance to the championship game.

“It should be fun,” DeRozan said. “This is what we all signed up for, to be playing there for the gold medal. This is what it’s all about.”

USA will play the winner of Friday’s semi-final match up between Serbia and France. Lithuania will play for the bronze medal against whoever loses in Friday’s battle between Serbia and France.

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Team USA Advances To World Cup Finals

Holly MacKenzie - Raptors.comToronto Raptors fans will have two very good reasons to turn into Thursday’s World Cup semifinal match up between Lithuania and Team USA (LIVE ON NBA TV Canada, 3PM EST). After Lithuania’s 73-61 victory over Turkey and USA's 119-76 dismantling of Slovenia on Tuesday afternoon, the two nations will face off for an opportunity to make it to Sunday’s gold medal game.

Valanciunas came up big for Lithuania in Tuesday’s victory, posting a 12-point, 13-rebound double-double in 27 minutes. He shot 5-for-9 from the floor. Renaldas Seibutis led Lithuania with 19 points and Martynas Pocius added 13.

While Lithuania trailed early in the game, they were able to overwhelm from the three-point line, making 10 of their 19 attempts from beyond the arc in comparison to just 3-for-18 shooting from three for Turkey. Lithuania clamped down in the fourth, outscoring Turkey 26-17 in the final frame.

“The main task was defence,” Valanciunas told Ball in Europe’s Emmet Ryan. “We executed on defence. We were rotating pretty good. Following that we won the game.”

Looking quick and light on his feet throughout the tournament, Valanciunas was strong on the glass against Turkey. Picking up a technical foul midway through the third quarter, the 22 year-old was taken out of the game to cool himself down. He returned to the game with 1:39 remaining in the third once he had regained his focus. After the game, Valanciunas said he enjoyed the challenge of playing against New Orleans Pelicans’ big man Omer Asik.

After a sluggish start -- James Harden and Stephen Curry combined to shoot 0-for-12 in the first half -- Team USA used a 70-point second half explosion to pick up an easy blowout victory in the second game of the day. Klay Thompson led USA with 20 points while Kenneth Faried added 14 points and 10 rebounds. 

Despite the blowout win, Toronto’s DeMar DeRozan only played nine minutes. He was an efficient scorer during his time on the court, though. Scoring six points, DeRozan was a perfect 3-for-3 from the field, adding two rebounds, two fouls and a turnover.

“We’re starting to clean up a lot of stuff that we’ve got to get right going into the next game,” DeRozan told Ryan. “but it’s going to be a hell of a game and we’re looking forward to it.”

Thursday’s Lithuania/USA match up will see Valanciunas and DeRozan face off in international competition for the first time since they became Raptors teammates in 2012.

“I’m looking forward to playing against him,” Valanciunas said. “He’s a great guy. I’m more than excited to see him on the court. They’re a really, really good team. It’s going to be not easy to play against those guys. I’m looking forward to see those guys on the court."

USA filled out its roster with big men in preparation of a potential gold-medal showdown with the Gasol brothers and Serge Ibaka suiting up for Spain, and the likes of Anthony Davis, Faried and DeMarcus Cousins should expect to be tested by Valanciunas. Of course, the reverse is also true: facing Team USA is the ultimate test for every team and player at the World Cup, and the Lithuanians are no exception. For Valanciunas and DeRozan, the semifinal represents both national pride and bragging rights in Toronto.

“It’ll definitely be cool, especially to see my teammate,” DeRozan said. “I know he’s been playing extremely well for them. It’s going to be a heck of a game.”