DeMar DeRozan began his NBA career with the Toronto Raptors after being selected in the 2009 NBA Draft. Nevertheless, he was traded to the San Antonio Spurs for Kawhi Leonard before the 2018-2019 season. Leonard’s arrival helped the Raptors secure their first-ever NBA championship by defeating the Golden State Warriors that season.
However, DeRozan feels that if he had stayed with the team, the Raptors might have still achieved the same success. During an appearance on ESPN’s First Take with Stephen A. Smith, DeRozan shared his thoughts on the 2019 season.
“The only person we couldn’t beat was LeBron. That’s just what it was. And I felt off the year we had before; we just needed one more piece to push us over the top,” DeRozan said.
“And that piece came to be LeBron going to the West. I didn’t get an opportunity to see what would have happened… I have no doubt in my mind the same outcome would have happened,” he added.
DeMar DeRozan Discusses Mental Health Awareness in NBA
Former Chicago Bulls star DeMar DeRozan recently signed with the Sacramento Kings despite having offers from several other NBA teams. This transition has presented DeRozan with significant mental challenges.
Recently, he shared his thoughts on the evolving approach to mental health in the league during an interview with Sam Amick of The Athletic.
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“It wasn’t even a thing when I first came into the league. You had all your other necessities when it came to sports, as far as weight training, nutritionists, film guys, workout guys. But that’s kind of where it stopped,” DeRozan said.
“You didn’t really have the personal infrastructure that was needed for certain players, especially young players,” the Kings player added.
With the Kings, DeRozan will kick off the next season with a match-up against the Golden State Warriors. Let’s see how he blends well with the new team to translate his experience into success.
Also Read: DeMar DeRozan Makes A Bold Prediction For The Sacramento Kings In 2025 Playoffs.
