When you find out you’re going to the Olympics, of course you immediately want to text everyone and anyone.  “They say…that you’re not allowed to tell anybody,” said Yvonne Ejim, who learned she had made the Canadian Olympic basketball team on July 2nd. “But like, this is my family. Sorry!” So Ejim, 22 years old, star forward for Gonzaga University, did what she had to do. After all, her older brother Melvin was competing for a spot on the Olympic men’s team.  The two siblings didn’t want to jinx their individual chances at making their respective Olympic teams, so they did not talk ..read more

When Canada’s senior women’s basketball coach Victor Lapeña wakes up every day, he crosses the Atlantic Sea to return to his longed-for Mediterranean Sea by looking through the window. The Lake Ontario views from his home in Port Credit remind him of his city on the Catalan coast, Tarragona, located 100 kilometers south of Barcelona.  But what really makes the Spaniard feel like he’s at home is not what he sees, but what he hears from his players at the end of every practice when they huddle up and enthusiastically proclaim the final battle cry.  “Vamos chicas!” they yell in Spa ..read more

We’re back this week with a look at Canada’s men’s basketball team and what they hope to do in the 2024 Paris games. We’re joined by RR’s own Jonathan Chen and ask him a ton of questions you’ve also been probably wondering about – the group of death, Zach Edey, and WHERE’S THANASIS? (Very badly injured) Make sure to check all our Raptors podcasts; all Confederacy of Dunks episodes are available separately as well. The post Team Canada Olympics with Jonathan Chen – Confederacy of Dunks first appeared on Raptors Republic ..read more

The Raptors announced today that they waived Javon Freeman-Liberty and forward Sasha Vezenkov. Freeman-Liberty was on an unguaranteed contract, and I very much expected this. He is a great scorer at any level in the world outside of the NBA. But in the NBA, his inability to read the floor and process movement and events around him doomed his ability to contribute. Vezenkov wanted to return to Europe. Blake Murphy reports that Vezenkov agreed to a full buyout. This gives the Raptors a lot of room beneath the tax line for the season, meaning they could now use one final roster spot on one of the ..read more

Most 18-year-olds are getting ready for prom and preparing to go to college or university. But not Syla Swords. She is about to become the youngest ever Canadian basketball player to go to the Olympics.  “The Olympics was always the goal for me even before I chose basketball,” said Swords in an interview with Raptors Republic. “It’s really exciting, just being with the senior team so long. It’s really cool to finally be an Olympian.” Finally? Swords’ Olympic journey has come quickly. She made her first senior team in the fall of 2022. She was on the roster that won Bronze at FIBA Ame ..read more

Just as fast as Summer League arrived, it has now come and gone for the Toronto Raptors after their 100-89 loss to the San Antonio Spurs in Las Vegas, Nevada. After starting 2-0 with a point differential of +28, they close the summer on a three-game losing streak with a -57 point differential over that span. San Antonio jumped out to a 10-0 lead and would never give up the advantage all the way through. Toronto did make it interesting in the fourth quarter, however, but they couldn’t quite bring it all the way back. It should be noted that Gradey Dick (ankle), Jonathan Mogbo (back), Javon Free ..read more

Well… That was a tough one. In each team’s fourth and final “regular play” game, the Miami Heat laid a smackdown onto the Toronto Raptors 109-73 Friday evening at the Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nevada. With the win, Miami improved to 4-0 and will finish as the top team in Summer League with a 20.8-point differential. Toronto, however, drops to 2-2 after the near-historic 36-point defeat. This loss came close to the largest blowout ever when the Heat beat the Los Angeles Lakers by 50 (106-56) in 2012. What was that first quarter? It was a rough watch in the first quarter when the summer Raps st ..read more

The post We CAN Ball Podcast- Canada beats France 85-73 without Jamal Murray w/Matty Ireland and Scott Witter first appeared on Raptors Republic ..read more

Freddie Rivas joins host Cathryn Naiker to discuss Bronny James, GTJ signing with the Bucks, Russel Westbrook signing with the Nuggets and more. Make sure to check all our Raptors podcasts; all Buckets & Tea episodes are available separately as well. The post Bronny James, Westbrook to the Nuggets, GTJ with the Bucks & more first appeared on Raptors Republic ..read more

Standings update: There are still five undefeated teams in summer league after Wednesday. The top four teams make the semi-finals, using point differential as a tiebreaker. Toronto now ranks eighth after losing to Utah. The defensive pressure remained intact, forcing 21 turnovers but the Raptors struggled offensively. Toronto shoot 38 percent from the field and 6-23 from three. Javon Freeman-Liberty (game high 24 points) was the only Raptor to score in double figures. He found driving lanes to draw fouls and also made half of the Raptors threes. Other notes: Jamal Shead had some great defens ..read more