Raptors Twitter was ignited Saturday morning following reports that Kawhi Leonard will be signing with the Los Angeles Clippers.
But instead of anger or resentment for a player deciding to leave Toronto after just one season, the Twitter outpouring showed a Raptors fan base that was filled with gratitude for a superstar who led them to their first NBA championship in franchise history less than a month ago.
sa国际传媒淩etire his jersey and build this man a statue,sa国际传媒� tweeted Montreal Canadiens forward Max Domi, who grew up in Toronto while his father played for the Maple Leafs. sa国际传媒淣o one can ever take away what he has done for this city and this country. What a ride. Thank you Kawhi!sa国际传媒�
Retire his jersey and build this man a statue. No one can ever take away what he has done for this city and this country. What a ride. Thank you Kawhi! 馃悙馃嚚馃嚘馃弨
sa国际传媒� Max Domi (@max_domi)
News of Leonardsa国际传媒檚 decision broke early Saturday morning, with a person familiar with the negotiations adding that the Clippers will be landing Leonard after they acquire Paul George from the Oklahoma City Thunder in a massive trade for players and draft picks.
Leonard was arguably the most coveted prize in this yearsa国际传媒檚 free agent market, and the 28-year-old met with several teams this week including the Lakers and Clippers sa国际传媒� both in his hometown of Los Angeles sa国际传媒� and the Raptors.
READ MORE:
Canadian tennis player Denis Shapovalov, who grew up in nearby Richmond Hill, Ont., tweeted: sa国际传媒淲elcome home Kawhi. Thanks for everything.sa国际传媒�
The news ended months of speculation and angst for Raptors fans who awaited Leonardsa国际传媒檚 decision for days after free agency opened last Sunday.
No one seemed to know which way Leonard was leaning. Some, like former Raptor turned TV analyst Jalen Rose were certain the star would return to Toronto. Rose said on air days ago he was sa国际传媒�99 per cent hearingsa国际传媒� Leonard would re-sign.
sa国际传媒淚 was wrong. Dead wrong,sa国际传媒� Rose tweeted Saturday. sa国际传媒淣o one saw this timeline or the Clips also adding PG! Wow!!!sa国际传媒�
The top 10 Twitter trends in Toronto were about the move on Saturday morning. Hashtags #ThankYouKawhi and #ThankYouDanny, for Danny Green sa国际传媒� who announced he was signing with the Lakers shortly after Leonardsa国际传媒檚 decision was reported sa国际传媒� were both trending.
Toronto Mayor John Tory, who frequently wore a black blazer adorned with gold Raptors logos during the post-season and at the championship parade, sent out a message to Leonard in a video posted to his Twitter account.
sa国际传媒淢aybe he didnsa国际传媒檛 like the jacket,sa国际传媒� Tory quipped at the start of the video.
Our has ended. for the NBA championship that you helped to bring to Toronto with your teammates.
sa国际传媒� John Tory (@JohnTory)
sa国际传媒淜awhi, you brought us a championship and thatsa国际传媒檚 important in this city. We havensa国际传媒檛 had many of those in recent times and itsa国际传媒檚 going to get us on a very positive wavelength where wesa国际传媒檙e going to have more,sa国际传媒� Tory continued. sa国际传媒淎nd make no mistake, when you come back here theresa国际传媒檚 going to be no mercy. Wesa国际传媒檒l still love you but theresa国际传媒檚 going to be no mercy when you come back here and play our Raptors because theysa国际传媒檙e going to be in it and theysa国际传媒檙e going to win it again.
sa国际传媒淲e just wish we could do it with you but we wish you all the very best and we say thank you very much for the inspiration and the excitement that you brought to Toronto and for the winner that you helped to bring to Toronto with your Raptor teammates.sa国际传媒�
UFC fighter Max Holloway, a Honolulu native and known Raptors supporter, said on Twitter that he was sa国际传媒済rateful to be a fan.sa国际传媒�
sa国际传媒淒onsa国际传媒檛 have to follow basketball to know Kawhi helped bring a lot more than a championship to Toronto,sa国际传媒� Holloway said. sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檓 just grateful to be a fan and got to witness it. Isa国际传媒檓 super happy the champ gets to go home now.sa国际传媒�
Canadasa国际传媒檚 Olympic athletes also showed their support for Leonard via social media, including former kayaker Adam van Koeverden, the gold medallist from the 2004 Athens Games.
sa国际传媒淔un (guy) while it lasted,sa国际传媒� van Koeverden said, referencing one of Leonardsa国际传媒檚 first quotes with the Raptors sa国际传媒� which New Balance transformed into an ad campaign during the playoff run. sa国际传媒淥nwards and Upwards, #WeStillTheNorth.sa国际传媒�
Canadian Olympic track star Aaron Brown tweeted a photoshopped picture of Leonard dunking the Larry Osa国际传媒橞rien trophy over Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks, who the Raptors beat in the Eastern Conference final.
sa国际传媒淜awhi Leonard will Forever be a Raptor Legend,sa国际传媒� Brown said.
Melissa Couto, The Canadian Press
Like us on and follow us on .
