--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Day 1, when I was drafted to the Toronto…" description: "\"Day 1, when I was drafted to the Toronto Raptors, they had this stigma on them: Every guy leaves. Nobody wants to be here. Superstars, nobody wants to ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/545/demar-derozan-19443_change_day-1-when-i-was-drafted-to-the-toronto_186417.jpg" --- # Day 1, when I was drafted to the Toronto Raptors, they had… ![“Day 1, when I was drafted to the Toronto Raptors, they had this stigma on them: Every guy leaves. Nobody wants to be here. Superstars, nobody wants to play in Canada. From Day 1, my whole mindset and approach to the game, being in Toronto, was I wanted to change that whole narrative to that whole…” quote by DeMar DeRozan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/545/demar-derozan-19443_change_day-1-when-i-was-drafted-to-the-toronto_186417.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/545/demar-derozan-19443_change_day-1-when-i-was-drafted-to-the-toronto_186417.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/545/demar-derozan-19443_change_day-1-when-i-was-drafted-to-the-toronto_186417.jpg) > “Day 1, when I was drafted to the Toronto Raptors, they had this stigma on them: Every guy leaves. Nobody wants to be here. Superstars, nobody wants to play in Canada. From Day 1, my whole mindset and approach to the game, being in Toronto, was I wanted to change that whole narrative to that whole organization.” [DeMar DeRozan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demar-derozan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He aimed to overturn the negative perception of the Raptors by reshaping the team's culture and reputation from the outset. **In simple terms:** He wanted to change the team's bad reputation. Key Takeaway Shift mindset, inspire change. Themes leadership culture reputation sports motivation Mood determined optimistic Type inspirational leadership When to use this quote - sports management - community engagement - personal development Key Concepts team dynamics brand building public perception Questions to Reflect On - How can a single player influence an entire organization? - What steps build a new team identity? A Different Perspective Changing perception takes time and collective effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/day/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/game/) [Organization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organization/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) ## Related quotes > [You come from the college, you're the man. I was second-team All-American. I got drafted by Toronto, but they just took me because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-tucker/you-come-from-the-college-you-re-the-man-i-was-second-team-all/) [P. J. Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-tucker/) > [At the end of the day, it's not where you get drafted. It's not going to set you in stone with how good you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-allen/at-the-end-of-the-day-it-s-not-where-you-get-drafted-it-s-not-going/) [Josh Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-allen/) > [I don't think the day that I was drafted that I expected to be the starting quarterback for the Rams as a seventh-round pick.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-fitzpatrick/i-don-t-think-the-day-that-i-was-drafted-that-i-expected-to-be-the/) [Ryan Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-fitzpatrick/) > [I took pride in everything when it came to Canada. Not even just Toronto, everything that came with Canada, wearing that Toronto Raptors jersey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demar-derozan/i-took-pride-in-everything-when-it-came-to-canada-not-even-just/) [DeMar DeRozan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demar-derozan/) > [There is no doubt in my mind and I know in my time, there will be a Canadian basketball player playing for Toronto Raptors, 100%](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masai-ujiri/there-is-no-doubt-in-my-mind-and-i-know-in-my-time-there-will-be-a/) [Masai Ujiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masai-ujiri/) > [I never thought I'd get drafted, let alone make the big leagues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-corbin/i-never-thought-i-d-get-drafted-let-alone-make-the-big-leagues/) [Patrick Corbin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-corbin/) > [Some guys, when they get drafted, they only think about themselves. They go buy cars and houses. I just wanted to take care of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bam-adebayo/some-guys-when-they-get-drafted-they-only-think-about-themselves-they/) [Bam Adebayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bam-adebayo/) > [To me, it was so exciting that after just a short time of being on my own in NXT, I proved that I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmella/to-me-it-was-so-exciting-that-after-just-a-short-time-of-being-on-my/) [Carmella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carmella/) > [Listen, we've drafted guys that wouldn't come in for workouts before. It's not the end of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-ainge/listen-we-ve-drafted-guys-that-wouldn-t-come-in-for-workouts-before/) [Danny Ainge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-ainge/) > [I got drafted into the army and by pure chance was pushed into a silk-screen shop at this camp where I was, because they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-mackenzie/i-got-drafted-into-the-army-and-by-pure-chance-was-pushed-into-a-silk/) [Warren MacKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-mackenzie/) > [You get drafted on potential.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/channing-frye/you-get-drafted-on-potential/) [Channing Frye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/channing-frye/) > [I knew I'd get an opportunity, and it's up to me to make the most of it whether I got drafted or not. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-rodgers/i-knew-i-d-get-an-opportunity-and-it-s-up-to-me-to-make-the-most-of/) [Jordan Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-rodgers/) > [I think everyone wants to get drafted as high as they can. That's the way I look at it as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auston-matthews/i-think-everyone-wants-to-get-drafted-as-high-as-they-can-that-s-the/) [Auston Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auston-matthews/) > [I got drafted in the first round of the NFL, that's pressure enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brady-quinn/i-got-drafted-in-the-first-round-of-the-nfl-that-s-pressure-enough/) [Brady Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brady-quinn/) > [I was 19 years old, pumping gas and going nowhere. I was kind of a high school dropout at that point because I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-oates/i-was-19-years-old-pumping-gas-and-going-nowhere-i-was-kind-of-a-high/) [Adam Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-oates/) ## More by DeMar DeRozan > [At the end of the day, the only person to have a better Kobe sneaker game than me is Kobe himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demar-derozan/at-the-end-of-the-day-the-only-person-to-have-a-better-kobe-sneaker/) [DeMar DeRozan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demar-derozan/) > [I've never been one who wanted any type of attention, good nor bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demar-derozan/i-ve-never-been-one-who-wanted-any-type-of-attention-good-nor-bad/) [DeMar DeRozan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demar-derozan/) > [I'm no stranger to pain. It's what made me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demar-derozan/i-m-no-stranger-to-pain-it-s-what-made-me/) [DeMar DeRozan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demar-derozan/) > [We're all human at the end of the day. That's why I look at every person I encounter the same way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demar-derozan/we-re-all-human-at-the-end-of-the-day-that-s-why-i-look-at-every/) [DeMar DeRozan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demar-derozan/) > [I'm so quiet if you don't know me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demar-derozan/i-m-so-quiet-if-you-don-t-know-me/) [DeMar DeRozan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demar-derozan/) > [People ask me what I would have done if it wasn't for basketball. I can never give a good story because I honestly don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demar-derozan/people-ask-me-what-i-would-have-done-if-it-wasn-t-for-basketball-i/) [DeMar DeRozan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demar-derozan/) > [If you work for it, you'll deserve what comes. Hard work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demar-derozan/if-you-work-for-it-you-ll-deserve-what-comes-hard-work/) [DeMar DeRozan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demar-derozan/) > [I told myself that if I went to Compton High, and I made something out of the school, it would mean something to me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demar-derozan/i-told-myself-that-if-i-went-to-compton-high-and-i-made-something-out/) [DeMar DeRozan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demar-derozan/) > [I'm sure there's a long list of one-time all-stars, and I don't want to be on it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demar-derozan/i-m-sure-there-s-a-long-list-of-one-time-all-stars-and-i-don-t-want/) [DeMar DeRozan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demar-derozan/) > [My mom always told me: Never make fun of anybody, because you never know what that person is going through. Ever since I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demar-derozan/my-mom-always-told-me-never-make-fun-of-anybody-because-you-never/) [DeMar DeRozan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demar-derozan/) > [My mom's one of the toughest ladies I know. I've seen her lose both her brothers, both her parents. She's been through a lot,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demar-derozan/my-mom-s-one-of-the-toughest-ladies-i-know-i-ve-seen-her-lose-both/) [DeMar DeRozan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demar-derozan/) > [I don't care who you are. You can be the smallest person off the street, or you could be the biggest person in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demar-derozan/i-don-t-care-who-you-are-you-can-be-the-smallest-person-off-the/) [DeMar DeRozan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demar-derozan/) > [I am Toronto. Outside of where I'm from, I represent this city harder than anybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demar-derozan/i-am-toronto-outside-of-where-i-m-from-i-represent-this-city-harder/) [DeMar DeRozan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demar-derozan/) > [A lot of people in the NBA don't even take the game serious or take the same approach that I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demar-derozan/a-lot-of-people-in-the-nba-don-t-even-take-the-game-serious-or-take/) [DeMar DeRozan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demar-derozan/) > [My mindset was that I was always going to be in Toronto my whole career, but I was never naive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demar-derozan/my-mindset-was-that-i-was-always-going-to-be-in-toronto-my-whole/) [DeMar DeRozan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demar-derozan/) [Explore all 32 DeMar DeRozan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demar-derozan/) ## More Change quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) Phil Hogan > [Nobody can tell me that no changes are necessary in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/nobody-can-tell-me-that-no-changes-are-necessary-in-washington/) [William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [When you walk down the street of Kabul your values for life changes, they do change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/when-you-walk-down-the-street-of-kabul-your-values-for-life-changes/) [Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/) > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [“Stay focused on bringing people together and more on positive messaging so that you can be the change you wish to see in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/stay-focused-on-bringing-people-together-and-more-on-positive/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [No man can change himself into anything from sheer reason; he can only change into what he potentially is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/no-man-can-change-himself-into-anything-from-sheer-reason-he-can-only/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 33,920 Change quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Day 1, when I was drafted to the Toronto Raptors, they had this stigma on them: Every guy leaves. 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