Sprinter Andre De Grasse rejuvenates hometown Toronto Raptors to victory
The Toronto Raptors may have found its pre-game go-to ritual following Andre De Grasse's appearance before the team's game three victory.
Canadian sprint sensation Andre De Grasse gave his hometown professional basketball team, the Toronto Raptors, a boost on Saturday evening with an appearance on Sportsnet’s pre-game show.
De Grasse, the Canadian record holder in the 200m and the two-time Pan Am Games champion, was part of a four-person panel which included former basketball player Alvin Williams and hosts Tim Micallef and Sid Seixeiro. The basketball game was the third in the best-of-seven series (first team to win four games moves on to the next round) and Toronto won 99-84 against its opponent, the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Raptors and Cavaliers are in the conference finals, the penultimate round of the NBA playoffs. Toronto lost the first two games of the series.
Good to see some love for @De6rasse on the @Raptors pre-game. The Olympics are close! pic.twitter.com/6nssZa1gC3
— Callum Ng (@CallumNg) May 22, 2016
De Grasse won a pair of medals at the world championships last summer in Beijing and is one of Canada’s Olympic medal hopefuls in Rio this summer. He trains with the ALTIS group based in Phoenix and signed a multi-million dollar deal with sportswear giant Puma in December.
RELATED: Our Golden Shoe Awards: Trackie of the Year — Andre De Grasse.
The 21-year-old grew up in Scarborough, a part of the Greater Toronto Area, went to high school in nearby Markham, before attending the University of Southern California. He was a multiple-time collegiate champion in the United States before opting to go professional and moving to Arizona, a hotbed for Canadian sprinters.
RELATED: Football star Odell Beckham Jr. celebrates touchdown track style.
Interestingly, De Grasse was also at game seven of the previous series, a game in which the Raptors won. It may well be a good idea to invite the Canadian back for more games if the team wants to continue its playoff success.
Lebron who? @De6rasse back in Toronto supporting his @Raptors in the NBA Eastern Coference Finals #WeTheNorth pic.twitter.com/zvjF6BIKe1
— Athletics Canada (@AthleticsCanada) May 22, 2016
RELATED: Andre De Grasses uses technology of the past in new CBC documentary.
De Grasse will be competing next weekend at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Ore. at historic Hayward Field.
Drake, one of the music industry’s most popular rappers, is the global ambassador for the Raptors.
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