DeMar DeRozan Calls Himself The Raptors "Sacrificial Lamb"

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DeMar DeRozan
DeRozan says he laid the groundwork for the Raptors success.

Over the past few weeks, Taylor Rooks of Bleacher Report has been releasing episodes of her latest interview series Take It There with Taylor Rooks and today, episode 8 came out with San Antonio Spurs star, DeMar DeRozan. DeRozan was a part of a blockbuster trade last summer that saw the Toronto Raptors trade him to the Spurs for Kawhi Leonard. The Spurs star was heartbroken that the team that drafted him also traded him. Adding to the heartbreak is the fact that the Raptors are in the Finals the first year after his departure.

As you would expect, Rooks asked DeRozan about how he felt after the trade and he had some interesting insight on it all. 

"Honestly, I don't even think I said this – I probably said this to my own inner circle. But if it wasn't for all the years and groundwork that I did before then, none of those things would've been possible," DeRozan explained. "Yes, I fought. I sacrificed. I pushed the limits to where I had to be the sacrificial lamb. You just have to sit back and understand you're the reason so many things were even possible."

DeRozan also talked about the heartbreak when it comes to being traded, saying he put so much work in with the Raptors organization that he couldn't help but feel slighted. 

"Being invested from 19 to I was, what, 28? Everything you learned was from there. Everything you gained was from there," DeRozan told Rooks. "So for that to be gone like that, when you least expect it, it just throws you off guard. We're human at the end of the day."


About The Author
Alexander Cole is the current editor-in-chief of HotNewHipHop. He started at HotNewHipHop back in 2018 where he began as a Sports and Sneakers writer. It was here where he began to hone his craft, putting his journalism degree from Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec, to good use. Since that time, he has documented some of the biggest stories in the hip-hop world. From the Kendrick Lamar and Drake beef to the disturbing allegations against Diddy, Alex has helped HotNewHipHop navigate large-scale stories as they happen. In 2021, he went to the Bahamas for the Big 3's Championship Game. It was here where he got to interview legendary figures like Ice Cube, Clyde Drexler, and Stephen Jackson. He has also interviewed other superstar athletes such as Antonio Brown, Damian Lillard, and Paul Pierce. This is in addition to conversations with social media provocateurs like Jake Paul, and younger respected artists like Kaycyy, Lil Tecca, and Jeleel!
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