Hall-of-fame shooting guard Clyde Drexler likes a lot of things about Toronto — the people, the city itself and even the Toronto Raptors’ chances this season. Speaking to Sportsnet.ca at an NBA event in Scarborough, Drexler expressed great optimism for the Toronto Raptors’ coming season and the franchise’s future.
“I really like your guy Rudy Gay, he’s one of my favourite guys—Kyle Lowry (as well),“ Drexler says. “You’ve got some leadership on this team and I think those guys are going to catapult this team into a playoff contender year-after-year.”
Drexler also addressed the news that Toronto will play host to the 2016 NBA All-Star Game.
“It’s the first time the NBA All-Star (Game) will be held outside the United States,” he says. “It’s going to be historic and Toronto’s a great city to have it in. I think it’ll be well received.”
A 10-time all-star during his playing career and a staple of All-Star Weekend even in retirement, Drexler knows a thing or two about the annual bash and believes Canadian basketball fans and his fellow NBA alumni will warmly receive what the NBA has in store for the city that weekend.
“It’s an extravaganza of a weekend. There’s something for everyone and we look forward to it. It’s a time to get together and is kind of a reunion for the ex-players. We don’t miss very many of them (All-Star Games), so to have it here in Toronto, it’s going to be another year of great times.”
Stepping away from Toronto for a moment to look at the league’s landscape as a whole, Drexler gave a very strong endorsement to the Houston Rockets—the team he won his only NBA championship with in 1995.
Drexler believes the Rockets will come out champions this year, heaping praise on the Dwight Howard signing as well as key pieces Omer Asik, Chandler Parsons, Jeremy Lin and, in particular, James Harden: “Harden might be the best two-guard in the league.”
Surpisingly, the team Drexler has the Rockets pegged to beat in the Finals isn’t the two-time defending champion Miami Heat but the new-look Brooklyn Nets.
Drexler was originally taken 14th overall in the 1983 NBA Draft by the Portland Trailblazers. His career spanned 15 years between Portland and Houston, and—in addition to his championship and 10 all-star appearances—included one All-NBA First Team selection (1992) and a trip to Barcelona as part of the Dream Team. His No. 22 jersey has been retired by both the Trailblazers and the Rockets and he was named one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history in 1996.
