At first it seemed more than a little ironic. Like when Bulls fans went crazy whenever human victory cigar Brian Scalabrine checked into a game – the unofficial sign of a blowout win for the home team.
It started with the “We Want Bruno!” chants, asking Raptors coach Dwane Casey to look deep down his bench to a 19 year-old rookie from Brazil (Casey obliged). And then came the exuberant reaction from a packed Air Canada Centre crowd, as Bruno Caboclo got his NBA career off in style with a soaring two-handed alley-oop moments into his shift, his first two points as a pro.
For longtime Raptors fans, it must’ve felt like a dream. The club was – and is – in first place atop the division, continuing a dominant 2014 dating back to last season. They were blowing out an up-and-coming team in the conference in front of a sellout crowd (for a Bucks game no less!). Their stars, DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry, are proving to be as advertised and a potent one-two combo this team hasn’t seen maybe ever. And to top it all off, the rookie who they were told was “two years away from being two years away” on draft night was getting the fans out of their seats less than a month into his first season.
Few fan bases could be as excited for a 20th overall pick making his debut. Do you think there’s jubilation in Oklahoma City when Mitch McGary (the 21st pick) played his first minutes this season? Or when last year’s 20th pick, Tony Snell, made his debut? Hell, did the Timberwolves fans greet first overall pick Andrew Wiggins with as much unabashed glee as the Raptors fans did their prized rook?
(hint: no).
On the other hand, Bruno Caboclo is more than just another rookie. He’s the embodiment of the #WeTheNorth decree and a fan base basking in the opportunity to prove others wrong. The fans who don’t feel, but know that the Raptors don’t get respect from the rest of the NBA; who are outraged when Kyle Lowry doesn’t make an all-star team; who fire back at Charles Barkley when he can’t pronounce V-A-L-A-N-C-I-U-N-A-S; and who have made the Air Canada Centre one of the league’s noisiest, most raucous houses on the block. In short: fans that, for the first time in a long time, actually care.
In a relatively short span, the Raptors have become one of the hottest sports commodities in the country. Over the past year the team has gotten 60% more mentions than the Maple Leafs on twitter, where, last night, “Toronto Raptors”, “We The North”, and “Bruno Caboclo” were three of the top 5 trending topics across Canada. It’s not the most scientific analysis, but a clear indication of how fans are embracing what’s happening on the ACC hardwood.
It’s hard to say whether the increasing throngs of basketball fans in Toronto and across the country will maintain this level of commitment through darker days and losing seasons. For now, it’s an enthusiastic, vocal, and knowledgeable following, and it’s making Raptors games a pro sports experience this city hasn’t seen in ages.
As for Caboclo? Well, not to harsh Raptors fans’ buzz or anything, but if we’re honest, he had a few nice moments in twelve moments of supreme garbage time. There’s your perspective.
However, the fact that he didn’t look completely lost, as he did through big stretches of the pre-season, may be an indication that Caboclo’s big night could earn him more minutes. In the wake of the James Johnson injury, there are minutes for an athletic wing who contributes on both ends of the floor. Before the season, I was an advocate of Caboclo spending time in the D-League, thinking that the reps and game action he’d see is more valuable than getting acclimated to the NBA life while remaining firmly planted on the bench.
However, if he can find a role with the team this season, even if it’s just starting as the Raptors victory cigar, then we might need to start raising our expectations for the fresh faced rookie already.
I know, I know. It was just one game. But these days it’s not hard to get excited in Raptorland.
