No Props Just Talk with Demar DeRozan

The growth of Demar DeRozan has been great to see on the floor. Selfishly it is great to see off it as well. I starting interviewing NBA guys on a regular basis in his rookie year and I hope that I have picked up my game a bit as well. But Demar in terms of interviews has. This chat with Demar we do everything from his personal definition of what he meant by "Going Ham" on the rest of this season, to his experiences in both L.A at All-Star Weekend and in London and some thoughts about college ball. I think it is one of the better chats we have had with Demar hopefully you will agree.

I am sure USC would love to have Demar DeRozan as a Junior but he is of course in year two of his NBA journey and doing very well. He is taking big steps on and off the floor and you can see a day when he could be the next one to try and lead this franchise to where we all want to see it be. Winning again and "going ham" in the NBA playoffs. Let's hope those days are ahead for both us, Demar and the Raptors. Kemba Walker is the point guard for UConn Huskies, it was interesting to hear Demar's thoughts on him and the fact he and Ed Davis know him pretty well. Might be someone the Raptors consider in the draft. Just a thought.

DeRozan Gets Short End Of Stick Again.

I use to defend NBA All-Star Weekend and the gold standard in pro sports. But I think that is over for me. Last night's All-Star Saturday Night was the last straw for me. The Dunk Contest has turned into more side show. We had little kids with bad hair cuts (Ask Barkley), Cars from NBA sponsors and judging that was brutal. Blake Griffin the heavy favourite to with the contest was given a free pass to the Slam Dunk Final. The overall first round was perhaps the best in years for the dunk contest. Griffin in my view was 4th out of 4. But he winds up 2nd (By 1 point over DeRozan) and proceeds to jump over an NBA Sponsor KIA car over the edge of the hood and the shame was complete. I almost forgot the choir singing "I believe I can fly" and Kenny Smith flapping his mouth like a hype man for some 80's Rap Group. It all left a sour taste in my mouth. It probably doesn't help that this whole weekend has been over shadowed "The MeloDrama" and I am sick of it. Carmelo Anthony at this point should be traded to the Cavs for their entire team. Why not!!! Knicks or Nets, I am to the point I honestly don't care. There is also the impending doom of the NBA Lockout. If there is a lockout do me a favour and never air another NBA Cares Ad again. You only care when it is convenient.

Seems like until Toronto gets an All-Star Game that is the last will see of Demar DeRozan in the Dunk Contest. Here is a couple Tweets from Demar after last nights contest.

• @Demar_DeRozan - Much love to everybody who supported me in the dunk contest. It is what it is....I'm going HAM the second half of the season Believe that!

• @Demar_DeRozan-No more dunk contests for me unless it's in Toronto!

That is a shame because will miss out on stuff like this:

And This:

I Think I may join Demar and not watch the Dunk Contest again until Toronto gets an All-Star Game. The Contest could have been put back on the map but the judging screwed it up. We saw some things we have never seen before and it had the potential to be great. But the winner was a joke and it took away from how great this was. Never saw M.J bit and given the side show it was Demar likely should have busted out the M.J bit "if " he had it in his bag of tricks.

Demar DeRozan All-Star Adventure Begins

Last year the only time we saw Demar DeRozan was in the one and now done dunk in contest at halftime of the Rookie/Sophomore game. DeRozan had been snubbed from the game itself, but this year head return home to L.A and will play in the game on Friday night. This is a game that is set up for a player like DeRozan that can get to the hoop and throw it down. He also might have a small chip on his shoulder after the snub last season. Blake Griffin his main competition in the Dunk Contest the next night will be playing all 3 nights including in the All-Star Game itself. If you were going to make a list of candidates for M.V.P of this game, it likely starts with Griffin but DeRozan is on that list as well.

Now let's face it awards at All-Star Weekend are not going to change that the Raptors have 41 losses. But if DeRozan on this big stage that is All-Star Weekend could walk away with some hardware from this game tonight and/or the dunk contest tomorrow night it is a good thing. Here are a few reasons as to why:

• First and foremost it is good for his personal confidence and gets him some national exposure which is important. Just ask Chris Bosh. But for DeRozan who is trying to build himself into a franchise player this would be a big shot of confidence in the quest to get there. Also in talking with Demar he is very excited at the fact this is all taking place in his hometown where his family and friends can share in it with him.

• This may sound a bit off the wall and stupid but it can't hurt the Raptors in terms of getting free agents to come here. DeRozan can build his profile it won't hurt in giving players some reason to come to Toronto. Maybe this is wishful thinking on my part but it sure isn't a negative in terms of recruiting for free agency.

• In a season that has not offered a lot of positives for the Raptors as a team, this individual honour is a reward for a kid that has improved in major ways this season. The Raptors outlook post All-Star Weekend is bleak, but if DeRozan comes back as a winner it can add to his motivation to improve and work hard down the stretch.

• Raptor fans are desperate for something, anything to feel good about at this point. I have not been this excited for an All-Star Weekend since Vince was in the Dunk Contest. No offence to Jason Kapono winning the 3 point shoot-out or Chris Bosh appearing in several All-Star games since. Kapono's performance with the Raptors and his over priced contract did not exactly make me thrilled at his victory. While Bosh being a big man in an All-Star Game makes your chances of winning the M.V.P of the game on Sunday slim at best. Dwight Howard has never won M.V.P of the game. I think Shaq won it like once. It doesn't happen very often is the point.

There is also the fact that last year I think DeRozan was robbed in the Dunk Contest, he was the only guy to get a 50, and in a year that was forgettable for the contest as a whole he provided the lone highlight to the event. It is something to cheer for as well. DeRozan is a hard working kid and I have had the chance to talk with him several times over his year and half with the Raptors. I really like him and he is someone that is really easy to root for. So I will be watching tonight and tomorrow with more excitement than I have had for most Raptor games this season. So here is hoping that Demar can represent himself and the Raptors well over the next two days, it may help down the road in the development of DeRozan. I stand behind what I have said at the start of this season. What was that? The most important thing about this season was and is the development of Demar DeRozan. This may just be an exhibition and not mean much. It actually can mean a lot for DeRozan and that means it means a lot for the Raptors.

Demar Is Confident and Excited For All Star Weekend In L.A

Demar DeRozan has grown a lot this year on the floor. He points to knowing what to expect and confidence as the reasons why. He also takes that confidence with him home to L.A for All-Star Weekend. Before you go handing the Slam Dunk Crown to Blake Griffin, it may not be the a "slam dunk" he wins. While Demar is tight lipped about what to expect he does seem to be confident in how things are going. No clue on if either will be able to give a bit of a preview this Sunday as the Clippers are in town to face the Raptors. But listen to the interview and see if you walk away as I did, feeling that DeRozan seems like a guy that might just have some big things planned this time around. In his own backyard, having been there and done that in competing in the contest last year. If anyone is going to stop Blake Griffin it just might be him. Nate Robinson called this year's dunk contest rigged for Griffin to win. But that was before DeRozan was added to replace ironically his good friend Brandon Jennings. Listen to what Demar says about all of it and how he feels things have changed for him as a player since last year at this time.



Not that I needed Demar to tell me to watch it but now I am even more excited to watch it. In a season that has been rough for the Raptors it may go a long way if DeRozan could take home MVP Honours in the Rookie/Sophomore and or a dunk championship as well. The kid the blazed in the doors saying the Air Canada was back just might be starting laying his own foundation to truly be Heir Canada. For now he is one of the Young Onez and as he had told me before Amir Johnson is expected to be riding shot gun with him for the Dunk Contest. Not sure if Amir's Ankle injury will change that. But one thing is for sure expect a show come a week from today.

Demar DeRozan Gets A Friday Night Invite

There is not a lot to smile about with the Raptors right now. The team is currently stranded in Indy after their lose to the Pacers. In the midst of a 12 game losing streak. But good news late this afternoon for one Raptor in Demar DeRoazan. First he got into the dunk contest through the back door as an injury replacement for his good friend Brandon Jennings. But this time, he walks in through the front door to the Rookie/Sophomore game. He will go up against a rookie squad lead by his main competition in the Dunk Contest the next night in Blake Griffin. Here is a list of all the other Rookies and Sophomores that will be heading to L.A with those 2.

Rookies

• Eric Bledsoe L.A. Clippers G 6-1 195 Kentucky
• DeMarcus Cousins Sacramento C 6-11 270 Kentucky
• Derrick Favors New Jersey F 6-10 246 Georgia Tech
• Landry Fields New York G 6-7 210 Stanford
• Wesley Johnson Minnesota G 6-7 205 Syracuse
  
• Greg Monroe Detroit C 6-11 250 Georgetown
  
• Gary Neal San Antonio G 6-4 210 Towson State
• John Wall Washington G 6-4 195 Kentucky
• Blake Griffin L.A. Clippers F 6-10 251Oklahoma

Sophomores

• DeJuan Blair San Antonio C 6-7 265 Pittsburgh
• DeMar DeRozan Toronto G 6-7 220 USC
• Stephen Curry Golden State G 6-3 185 Davidson
• Tyreke Evans Sacramento G 6-6 220 Memphis
• Taj Gibson Chicago F 6-9 225 USC
• Jrue Holiday Philadelphia G 6-4 180 UCLA
• Serge Ibaka Oklahoma City F-C 6-10 235 Brazzaville, Rep. of Congo
• Brandon Jennings Milwaukee G 6-1 169 Lottomatica Virtus Roma
• Wesley Matthews Portland G 6-5 220 Marquette

There was some talk that Ed Davis may also get a chance to represent the Raptors as well, but missing the amount of time he did likely hurt his chances. However, if he keeps on the same path he may like Demar miss out on being selected as rookie and get in the game next year as a sophomore. He has really been playing well of late and was a big spark in the last game vs the Pacers.

Really happy for Demar who has stepped up his game in his 2nd year and is very deserving of this honour. In talking with him before he had been added to the dunk contest he really wanted to be a part of All-Star Weekend given it is taking place in his home town of L.A. Well now his friends and family will need tickets for Friday and Saturday as Demar will be front and center on both nights. In a season that has not been good for the Raptors this is a nice reward for a guy that despite that has been pretty good all season and is slowly growing into a consistent scorer for this team.

So now Raptor fans have more reason to pay attention to All-Star Weekend and have someone to root for. The Rookie Challenge will air here in Canada on TSN 2 on Friday February 18th at 9pm.

So congratulation to Demar DeRozan from us here at the Dino Nation Blog.

Demar Will Dunk In L.A For All-Star Weekend

A number of media sources are confirming that Demar DeRozan will replace Brandon Jennings in the dunk contest. We recently chatted with Demar in the DNB and he talked about the dunk contest and the fact he was not going to be a part of it. In that interview with us Demar was just hoping for anyway to be a part of All-Star Weekend which will be in his hometown of L.A. Well now he will be in it as part of the Dunk Contest and should get the call to be part of the Sophomore team in the Rookie Challenge on All-Star Friday night. DeRozan was robbed of the dunk title last year losing to Nate Robinson. DeRozan recorded the only perfect score in what was a lack luster competition.

Blake Griffin was the favourite of the assembled field and Nate Robinson claimed it was set up for Blake Griffin to win. Jennings is being replaced by DeRozan due to a injury that will not allow him to compete. The other 2 guys in the contest are the Wizards Javale Mcgee and Serge Ibaka from the Thunder. Demar's inclusion has been posted on NBA.com so looks like Demar is heading home to take on Blake Griffin in his home arena.

Clearly Griffin is still going to be the favourite to win the contest but Demar DeRozan is perhaps the ultimate wild card to throw into the mix and this at least on paper has the makings of a showdown for the ages. This has to be nice news for DeRozan and Raptor fans and slightly takes away the sting of a Raptor 5 game losing streak.

So DeRozan is clear for take off in L.A!!!