By: Izzy Cheung, staff writer and Saije Rusimovici, staff writer
The thumps of a basketball bounce against the hardwood floor. Vibrant shades of red streak through the crowd. Hands grab onto the rim of the metal hoop and the crowd erupts into cheers as the ball falls back to earth. On the evening of October 6, SFU’s west gym was lit ablaze with the infectious energy of the game of basketball — although, this time, it wasn’t the usual Red Leafs taking the court. For the first time ever, Canada’s only current NBA franchise, the Toronto Raptors, held an open practice at SFU. Fans of all ages were welcome to purchase tickets, priced by donation, to watch the Raptors practice up at Lhuḵw’lhuḵw’áyten (Burnaby Mountain).
Hours before the open practice, the TSSU announced the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) and members of the Toronto Raptors had donated $10,000 to the TSSU strike fund. Garrett Temple, a vice-president of the NBPA, visited the picket line at SFU’s Harbour Centre and spoke out on the strike.
“I applaud you guys as a union rights president,” he said, speaking through a megaphone. “I understand how much TAs do for the university, so on behalf of the union, on behalf of myself, we applaud y’all’s members.” Temple went on to encourage those on strike to continue to fight.
On top of their solidarity with TSSU, it’s clear the Raptors have a significant impact on the rest of Canada’s basketball scene, especially here in Vancouver. With the relocation of the Vancouver Grizzlies to Memphis back in 2001, Vancouver’s basketball community has sorely lacked the presence of an NBA team. Yet, the people of Vancouver still wholeheartedly support their 1995 expansion brother.
Tickets to the event were almost instantly sold out, the bleachers packed with fans sporting Raptor-red and hoisting up heartfelt homemade signs. Those without tickets lined the windows of the gym, peering in from the outside for a chance to catch a glimpse of the action about to commence on the court.
“It’s really cool to see the Raptors team coming here to SFU to kinda put on for BC and everyone in Vancouver,” Matthys Van Bylandt, a freshman forward for SFU Men’s Basketball team, said. “The basketball community keeps growing and it’s because of contributions like this.”
As sports fanatics ourselves, we pounced at the opportunity to cover this event. The thought of being able to see professional NBA players dunk directly above our heads? Priceless.
We checked in as media about an hour early, but already, observers were flocking the entrance of the building. Promptly, we were ushered into the media room, where we were surrounded by established reporters from TSN, Sportsnet, and The Toronto Star. Imposter syndrome kicked in immediately.
We sat courtside, directly beside the entrance where the team would walk through, and right beneath a hoop. The bleachers were packed with people, loud music and excited chatter echoing in the open space. We clutched our notebooks with anticipation as practice time drew closer, both eager and anxious for what we were about to see.
The coaching staff came out first, headlined by Head Coach, Darko Rajaković, and assistant coach, (and former UBC Thunderbird) Jama Mahlalela. After a round of applause for the coaches, players began to filter out one-by-one from the hallway. 2023 13th overall pick Gradey Dick, Canadian forward Chris Boucher, and two-time All-NBA team forward Pascal “Spicy P” Siakam ran through the roars of the crowd and onto the court. However, the loudest cheers arose for the 2021–2022 Rookie of the Year, Scottie Barnes.
Practice started with some general warmups, with players running back-and-forth to various lines on the court. They soon transitioned into some general shooting drills such as a five-man weave. Players were sorted into three general “lines,” with each line wearing black, gray, and red respectively. Teams of five would run down the court carrying the ball, passing to one another before a player finally shot the ball. Even though they were just warming up, you could feel the tenacious spirit of the players radiating from the court.
The intersquad scrimmage was by far the most exciting part of the practice. The players were divided into two teams, black and gray, that would switch some players every quarter or so. Each quarter ran for 10 minutes before teams would be permitted a brief break. The game started with Pascal Siakam, Jakob Poeltl, O.G. Anunoby, Dennis Schroder, and Scottie Barnes on one team, and Gary Trent Jr., Jalen McDaniels, Thaddeus Young, Malachi Flynn, and Chris Boucher on the other.
Competition and camaraderie were abundant in the scrimmage. Players looked equally as excited and happy as the fans who were present as they launched the ball back and forth, executing crisp passes and perfect three-pointers. However, despite the companionship throughout the practice, the athletes’ competitiveness shone through. They were working as hard as they would have during an actual game with a spot in the playoffs on the line. Still, smiles remained on faces and laughter ballooned through the air as various players tried their hands at dramatic dunks.
The event ended with a final salute to the crowd as players headed back down the Red Leaf and Raptor-red hallway, waving goodbye to a practice that none would soon forget.
At the post-practice press conference, Coach Rajaković commented on the players he thinks will take the next steps in their game. “I can see multiple players on our team taking a next step from different stage[s] of [their] careers,” he said. “Jakob is very important, I think he’s going to make the next step, Scottie obviously, Pascal, I expect from all of those guys to make [the] next step and to get better this year.”
“Guys are fighting for minutes, guys are fighting for roles, guys are doing a great job,” he added.
Taking the next step is important not just for athletes, but for anyone working to fulfill their dreams. This event was a defining moment for us as journalists, SFU sports, and the SFU community as a whole. Not only is this event about athletics, but is an inspirational moment for students aspiring to achieve big goals in their lives. Chris Boucher’s advice for student athletes looking to go pro is that “[you have to] believe in yourself and also put in the work.”
