John Chick
How Drake gives the Raptors more urban appeal
The Toronto Raptors' hiring of rapper Drake as their new "global ambassador" may give the franchise more 'urban' appeal, something that may benefit them in the long run.
John Chick
Young Kia Nurse a bright star for Canadian basketball
With the retirement of longtime Canadian women's basketball floor general Teresa Gabriele after last year's London Olympics, the job of point guard has fallen into the very young, but increasingly capable hands of Kia Nurse, writes CBCSports.ca basketball contributor John Chick.
John Chick
Canada's basketball momentum stalled at FIBA Americas
After looking like one of the best teams at the FIBA Americas
tournament through three of its first four games, it all came apart for
Canada, writes basketball blogger John Chick.
John Chick
Canada's basketball team all set up front for FIBA tourney
You may think it's a case of viewing the glass as half full, but not
having Canada's two newest NBA players available for the FIBA Americas
tournament has made senior men's national coach Jay Triano's job a bit
easier. With No. 1 overall selection Anthony Bennett and No. 13 pick Kelly
Olynyk out with injuries, it's crystallized the front court situation
very quickly.
John Chick
NBA moves range from big to weird
From Dwight Howard signing with the Houston Rockets to Andrea Bargnani being traded to the New York Knicks, the scope of NBA off-season moves is as puzzling as it is impactful.
John Chick
Andrea Bargnani trade could be just the start for Raptors
After unloading former No. 1 pick Andrea Bargnani to the Knicks, what the Toronto Raptors do next is anybody's guess. But there's a palpable sense that a bigger shoe may be about to drop.
Andy Phillips
Raptors get good haul for Andrea Bargnani
New Toronto Raptors' general manager Masai Ujiri received much more in exchange for Bargnani than most thought possible.
John Chick
More promise than star power in NBA draft
This year's crop of eligible players may seem underwhelming, but what the NBA draft lacks in star power it more than makes up for in promise and potential.
John Chick
LeBron James lives up to king-sized comparisons
While LeBron James is no Michael Jordan, he alone is the reason he's a two-time
NBA champion. Perhaps observers were waiting for this moment where he answered the bell and dominated
the competition when the chips around him were down.
John Chick
Andrew Wiggins still keen on Canada Basketball
Andrew Wiggins' commitment to Canada Basketball remains strong, even though he opted not to join the national junior men's team at next month's FIBA under-19 world championship.
John Chick
Spurs have the horses to challenge LeBron's Heat
The good ol' Spurs are back in the NBA Finals,
and match up well with the Miami Heat. In fact, when throwing around the term
"Big 3" in this series, it applies first and foremost to the San Antonio
trio of Tony Parker, Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili.
Justin Piercy
LeBron James & Game 7: A brief history
Monday night's game at American Airlines Arena will mark the fourth Game 7 in the career of LeBron James. What better time to look back at how the reigning NBA MVP has performed under the intense spotlight in do-or-die scenarios?
John Chick
Masai Ujiri has his work cut out for him
The city of Toronto didn't exactly sit on pins and needles for the past week waiting for Masai Ujiri to become the Raptors' newest general manager, and on paper, he seems like the definition of a good hire.
John Chick
Raptors ought to rebrand for post-Colangelo era
The Raptors teams of the Vince Carter and Chris Bosh era were relevant and almost overcame the stupidity of naming
the franchise based on the early-1990s dinosaur craze. But it's time to rebrand, as incoming MLSE CEO Tim Leiweke alluded to on Tuesday.
John Chick
Andrew Wiggins blazes own trail with Kansas decision
Andrew Wiggins's poker face and taciturnity do Canada proud. In an industry and
an age where everything leaks, he evidently kept his decision to attend the University of Kansas -- with
attention to it snowballing in two countries for the last six months --
completely to himself.
John Chick
Raptors stand to benefit most from Leiweke hiring
Given his NBA roots, the surprise hiring of Tim Leiweke as president and CEO of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment last Friday might well benefit the Toronto Raptors most.
John Chick
First round of NBA playoffs promises fireworks
There will be fireworks when James Harden and the Houston Rockets take on his former team, the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder, in the first round of the NBA playoffs.
John Chick
Expect Raptors to stay on path to sustained mediocrity
The Toronto Raptors finished with a 34-48 record and out of the playoffs this season, but rather than make wholesale front-office changes, will likely stay on the path to sustained mediocrity.
