It’s an open secret that players avoid playing for the Toronto Raptors. First and foremost, because it is a Canadian city. Top flight players like Vince Carter, Damon Stoudamire, and Chris Bosh have come and go since the Raptors became an NBA franchise in 1995. Maybe it’s the weather and the fact that ice hockey and not basketball remains as the country’s most popular sport. Newly-appointed Raptors head coach Dwane Casey’s first mission is to change that image by luring big stars to the Maple City outfit. Casey, whose NBA coaching record is 53-69 in two seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves (2005-07), says he will try his best to turn things around in Toronto starting off with a good recruiting plan, according to the Boston Globe.
“The misnomer that you are in Canada and not in the States is totally misplaced. Because it’s a great sports city. I can’t imagine if you turn the program around how exciting it would be. It’s a melting pot for anybody. But a lot of times players just come there in the dead of winter and don’t really get a taste of the city. That’s one thing that’s going to be our mission, is to try to change that image and go back to my recruiting days at Kentucky, and try to recruit.”
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