Everything Kawhi Leonard

[KeonClark]

I really like everything about Kawhi except for his contract ending in a few weeks.

Just enough time to win us a ring, banner, trophy and parade, and then dissapear into the night

[golden]

Just enough time to win us a ring, banner, trophy and parade, and then dissapear into the night

Kawhi leaving would be like......

[Joey]

Question for the older fans: has Kawhi's approval rating in the GTA reached peak Vince Carter or not close yet

Was having this exact same debate with a buddy of mine before Game 6. It's definitely close, but Vince was a phenomenon at his peak. I think a lot of fans truly loved Vince, with that damn smile of his, and his endless charm ... and that damn smile of his.
Kawhi isn't nearly as personable as Vince was, but he's absolutely more of a player than Vince was too ... so it's hard to say. I'm gong to say not quite, but the fact he's even done that in less than a full season speaks volumes.

[KeonClark]

Was having this exact same debate with a buddy of mine before Game 6. It's definitely close, but Vince was a phenomenon at his peak. I think a lot of fans truly loved Vince, with that damn smile of his, and his endless charm ... and that damn smile of his.
Kawhi isn't nearly as personable as Vince was, but he's absolutely more of a player than Vince was too ... so it's hard to say. I'm gong to say not quite, but the fact he's even done that in less than a full season speaks volumes.

Good answer. And I tend to agree, as an outsider. Kawhi may be more appreciated as a dominant winning basketball player...but Vince was a friggin pop culture phenomena in the year 2000, along with Limp Bizkit, Nelly, and every household watching Survivor.

It was a different time.

Another interesting thing about is the effect on todays youth that don't remeber that first surge in popularity. The "Carter effect" is well documented, all the Canadian kids that went pro specifically from southern Ontario, some 10, 15 years after the fact. I wonder if we'll see a similar floodgate 10- 15 years after this era Raps era.

[Joey]

in the year 2000, along with Limp Bizkit, Nelly, and every household watching Survivor.

If this is all the history books write about the year 2000, it would capture about 90% of the essence. Lol

[Joey]

If this is all the history books write about the year 2000, it would capture about 90% of the essence. Lol

Just add in Ali G, Silver Chair and Jennifer Aniston to get the last 10%.

[G__Deane]

Question for the older fans: has Kawhi's approval rating in the GTA reached peak Vince Carter or not close yet

You're kidding right? Peak VC hard to say really but how many times has Kawhi been or will be, booed in Toronto lol

[Joey]

You're kidding right? Peak VC hard to say really but how many times has Kawhi been or will be, booed in Toronto lol

Love and Hate are proportional to each. Vince was booed as much as he was because he was loved as much as he was.

[golden]

Good answer. And I tend to agree, as an outsider. Kawhi may be more appreciated as a dominant winning basketball player...but Vince was a friggin pop culture phenomena in the year 2000, along with Limp Bizkit, Nelly, and every household watching Survivor.

It was a different time.

Another interesting thing about is the effect on todays youth that don't remeber that first surge in popularity. The "Carter effect" is well documented, all the Canadian kids that went pro specifically from southern Ontario, some 10, 15 years after the fact. I wonder if we'll see a similar floodgate 10- 15 years after this era Raps era.

Speaking of 2000....

[planetmars]

Difference between peak Vince and Kawhi is that peak Vince happened at a time when the Raptors were becoming such an after thought that there was a chance that the team may have folded (it wouldn't have but that whisper was out there). Vince gave Raptors fans something to believe in.. like we belonged in the NBA. He ripped that away from us as well though.

Kawhi came at a time when the Raptors had already built some stability thanks to Tim and Masai. That stabilization gave us respect. We weren't elite but good enough. Like the Utah Jazz or the Portland Trailblazers of late. Kawhi put the team over the top. He got us to the promised land. There is no question that Kawhi is a better player.. but Vince did something that this franchise needed desperately at that time. We didn't need Kawhi (but are so thankful we have him). We definitely needed Vince (and it hurt so much more when he left, especially with the way he did).

[G__Deane]

Love and Hate are proportional to each. Vince was booed as much as he was because he was loved as much as he was.

I want to argue with that....but I can't

[Mitchell Duong]

We didn't need Kawhi (but are so thankful we have him). We definitely needed Vince (and it hurt so much more when he left, especially with the way he did).

We needed both tbh. I think Raptors needed serious credibility as a team that can win. Kawhi has done that for us. It should end the self-doubt the city and fanbase have had around the Raptors.

[The Great One]

[Jclaw]

I really like everything about Kawhi except for his contract ending in a few weeks.

That sums it up. Vince was our first super star and, despite how it ended, the excitement never had a tinge of "what about next year". Now, if Kawhi gets us a ring...that's a different story.

[A.I]

Their desperation knows no bounds...