TORONTO – The day of mourning and remembrance started early Tuesday in Toronto.
At about 9:30 in the morning, an eagle-eyed Ryerson University student spotted outside of Scotiabank Arena a small collection of flowers along with a basketball and a couple of black No. 8 jerseys with the name “Bryant” emblazoned atop the number.
By the afternoon, this small collection had grown to include balloons, hats and more.
A full-on memorial for the late Kobe Bryant in Toronto. An impromptu gesture that speaks to the impact Bryant had on fans around the world.
Fans in Toronto are paying tribute to Kobe Bryant with a memorial outside of Scotiabank Arena. pic.twitter.com/7nP2mEEEWm
But this memorial outside of Scotiabank Arena only served as the prelude of what was to come in the venue on Tuesday evening.
Across the league, there have been many tributes and many heartfelt words spoken in the wake of Sunday’s tragedy, but on Tuesday it was the Toronto Raptors’ turn.
Unlike on Sunday, when the team was caught blindsided by the news in San Antonio, opting to run out the 24-second shot clock to start the game in honour of Bryant’s No. 24, Tuesday was a much more scripted affair.
It began in warmups, when Bryant-related songs played, including Juicy J’s “Who Da Neighbors” and Lil Wayne’s aptly named “Kobe Bryant.”
Then, before player introductions, the Raptors held a video tribute in honour of Bryant followed by a 24-second moment of silence.
The coolest thing, however, came near the end of the third quarter when the Atlanta Hawks, Toronto’s opponent on Tuesday, reach 81 points and their score lit up purple on the main scoreboard in honour of the 81 Bryant dropped on the Raptors in 2006.
These were all initiatives that were well done by the Raptors and left fans on their feet during Toronto’s 130-114 victorious affair that, amid the Bryant tribute, also featured plenty of love for former Raptor Vince Carter – making his second last visit to Toronto before he retires – and for Kyle Lowry, who became the Raptors’ all-time assist leader.
There were smiles all around the arena.
But as happy an evening as Tuesday was for fans in attendance, for players, the memory of Bryant’s loss was still very prevalent.
“It’s hard to find the words to describe what happened, what we went through, what everybody’s going through as a community, as a family,” said Fred VanVleet after the game. “But I think the important thing is that we try to keep pushing as best we can, and pain comes from the love, and I think that’s the tribute to how great somebody is. I think we’re seeing it. We’re all dealing with it together.”
Yes, while there was reason to celebrate in the Raptors’ locker room, what with a win and a milestone for a franchise icon, the tone of the room was still more reserved.
Norman Powell — dressed in a hoodie honouring Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, who also lost her life in that tragic helicopter crash Sunday — still seemed very shaken up as he exited the room.
And he wasn’t the only one. Nearly every player did.
“It’s been tough man, it’s been tough,” said Lowry. “Whenever you turn the news on, that’s how you know the man was a world icon. That everything you turn on it’s about this and that, and it’s hard to look at it and it’s hard to know what his family is possibly going through. It’s tough. Every time you think about it you get sad.”
Added VanVleet: “I’ve been crying enough, so I’m gonna try not to cry now. It’s super super sad, as a human being, human beings, that were involved, the families that were involved, and then you add on what a fantastic basketball player, and how much he meant to a culture, it’s hard to find words to describe those things. I think we’re all pretty sad and heartbroken, and we should be, and you take your time to grieve and find your ways to deal with it individually.”
As VanVleet said, everyone grieves and deals with loss in their own way, but Pascal Siakam, who lost his father in a car accident in 2014, has unique perspective on the hurt Bryant’s family and those of the other seven victims in Sunday’s crash are going through.
“For someone that knows what it’s like to lose somebody that you really love, all I can do is pray for families involved and hope that God can give them strength to go through this tough time,” said Siakam. “There’s not much you can really say but keep them in your prayers and hope that they’re strong enough to overcome.”
Specifically about Bryant, Siakam is bereaved by a missed chance to meet the Mamba.
“I didn’t really get the chance to have a relationship with him,” said Siakam. “And I remember in the playoffs and he did a Detail on me, like one of those episodes, and I was pretty excited just knowing that he knows about me and knows about my game and him giving me a little advice.
“I remember watching that and trying to soak up any new knowledge that I can to improve my game. And things that he saw that I could do better, from being able to develop a mid-range to working on different footwork. So watching that was something that was really big for me.
“And I was invited to the Mamba Camp that he had in the summer and I wasn’t able to go, so that really hurt me, too. Just knowing that was my chance to meet him and maybe have a relationship with him or see things that he sees in my game and learn from him. So I was definitely mad at myself about that. I feel I kind of missed an opportunity.”
This feeling of ‘would’ve, could’ve’ Siakam expressed is felt by just about everyone.
On Tuesday, the Raptors did a fine job of honouring Bryant, but it would’ve been a whole lot nicer if it wasn’t necessary at all.
NEW YORK – Toronto Blue Jays reliever Chad Green and Canadian slugger Tyler O’Neill of the Boston Red Sox were named finalists for the Major League Baseball Players’ Association’s American League comeback player award on Monday.
Chicago White Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet was the other nominee.
New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge, Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani and Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. were named player of the year finalists.
The award winners, selected via player voting, will be named Saturday before Game 2 of the World Series.
Green, who missed most of the 2022 and ’23 seasons after undergoing Tommy John surgery, was a high-leverage option for the Blue Jays this past season and filled in at closer over the second half of the campaign.
The right-hander converted his first 16 save opportunities and finished the year with a 4-6 record, 17 saves and a 3.21 earned-run average over 53 appearances.
O’Neill, a native of Burnaby, B.C., also endured back-to-back injury-plagued seasons in ’22 and ’23.
After being traded to the Red Sox in the off-season, O’Neill set an MLB record by hitting a homer in his fifth straight Opening Day. He finished with 31 homers on the year and had an OPS of .847.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2024.
Alabama’s Mark Sears and North Carolina‘s RJ Davis looked into the possibility of leaving for the NBA before deciding to return for another college season.
Their decisions helped their teams earn top-10 rankings in the AP Top 25 and earned both players some preseason honors, too.
Sears was a near-unanimous selection for The Associated Press preseason All-America men’s basketball team released Monday, earning all but one vote from a 55-person national media panel. Davis was right behind him, nabbing 51 votes.
They were joined by Kansas big man Hunter Dickinson, Auburn forward Johni Broome, Arizona guard Caleb Love and Duke freshman Cooper Flagg. Love and Flagg tied for the final spot, creating a six-man team that includes only the ACC, Big 12 and SEC.
Alabama twin bill
Sears was a key cog in the Crimson Tide’s first trip to the Final Four a year ago, orchestrating one of college basketball’s highest-scoring teams.
The 6-foot-1 guard was named a second-team AP All-America after averaging 21.5 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4.0 assists. He was the first Division I player in 31 years to have 795 points, 150 rebounds, 145 assists and 95 three-pointers in a single season while breaking the Alabama single-season record with 26 games with at least 20 points.
Sears worked out for NBA scouts during the offseason before deciding to return to Alabama, earning the Crimson Tide a No. 2 ranking in the preseason AP Top 25.
“I saw the team that we had and I wanted to be a part of it, and bring home Alabama’s first national championship in basketball,” Sears said.
Across the state at rival Auburn, Broome made a quick decision about his future, announcing in April that he would be back for a fifth season.
The 6-10 forward was a third-team AP All-American last season after averaging 16.5 points and 8.5 rebounds while shooting nearly 55% from the floor. With an eye on an NBA future, Broome worked hard on his perimeter shooting during the offseason and his return earned Auburn a No. 11 preseason ranking.
“My main goal is a team goal, which is to win the national championship, to make it as far as I can in March Madness,” Broome said. “When a team shines, everyone shines individually.”
Along Tobacco Road
Like Sears, Davis has similar aspirations after opting to return for his fifth season at North Carolina.
The 6-foot guard was an AP All-American last season and the ACC player of the year after averaging 21.1 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.5 assists on a team that reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. Davis enters this year within reach of former North Carolina big man Tyler Hansbrough’s all-time ACC scoring record.
“I know there’s more work to be done,” Davis said. “I know my jersey’s not going up until I leave. So there’s some more records to break and some more work to be done. I’m satisfied but I’m not satisfied, if that makes sense.”
Up the road at Duke, Flagg was the only underclassman on the preseason All-America team after arriving with tons of hype. The 6-9 swingman was the No. 1-rated high school recruit out of Newport, Maine and has been projected as the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft.
Flagg has the skills of a guard, but can also play inside and has worked hard on his perimeter shooting, giving him the potential to be one of college basketball’s most versatile players. He’s part of a stellar recruiting class that has No. 7 Duke eyeing a deep March run.
Big 12 duo
Dickinson was the biggest move in the transfer portal last spring after leaving Michigan for Kansas. The 7-2 center lived up to the billing, averaging 17.9 points and 10.9 rebounds while leading the Jayhawks back to the NCAA Tournament.
Love’s decision to return for a second season at No. 10 Arizona has ratcheted up expectations in the desert for the Big 12 rival of Kansas.
The athletic 6-4 guard had a high-scoring career at North Carolina and continued it after transferring to Arizona last season. He was the Pac-12 player of the year and a third-team All-American after averaging 18 points per game and making 92 3-pointers.
Love tested the NBA waters this summer before deciding to return.
“He’s had a very successful college career thus far,” Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd said. “He’s kind of this last generation of player that’s going to get better with this extra year, and so I just encourage him to take advantage of it.”
____
Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college basketball: and
CLEVELAND (AP) — Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson will miss the rest of Cleveland‘s season after rupturing his right Achilles tendon on Sunday against Cincinnati, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on Monday.
Watson will soon undergo surgery, said the person who spoke on condition of anonymity because the team has not announced the results of imaging tests taken on his leg.
It’s the second significant injury in two seasons for Watson, who broke the glenoid (socket) bone in his throwing shoulder last year.
The 29-year-old Watson went down without being touched on a draw play late in the first half. His right leg buckled and Watson collapsed to the turf. TV replays showed his calf rippling, consistent with an Achilles injury.
As he laid on the ground, there was cheering by some Cleveland fans, leading to some of Watson’s teammates criticizing that behavior during the team’s fifth straight loss.
The injury is yet another twist in Watson’s divisive stay with the Browns.
Cleveland traded three first-round draft picks to Houston and signed him to a fully guaranteed $230 million in 2022. The deal came amid Watson being accused by more than two dozen women of sexual assault and harassment during massage therapy sessions. He settled civil lawsuits in all but one of those cases.
Watson was suspended by the NFL for his first 11 games with the Browns and then made just six starts last season before hurting his shoulder.
