Raptors fans give Kawhi Leonard, Norm Powell massive ovations in Toronto return (VIDEO)
While the Toronto Raptors are playing their first post-holiday break home game tonight, all eyes from the crowd were actually on two of their opponents.
Playing in Toronto for the Los Angeles Clippers — Kawhi Leonard and Norm Powell made their long-awaited returns to Toronto.
The Scotiabank Arena crowd was on their feet for a pregame ovation during the starting lineup for Leonard, who hadn’t played in Toronto since December 11, 2019.
Kind of a weird “oh snap it’s time to cheer on Kawhi” ovation. Feels like everyone, myself included, was caught off guard by this one ahead of #Raptors–#Clippers: pic.twitter.com/vH5Kuc0FiY
— Adam Laskaris (@adam_la2karis) December 28, 2022
But Powell actually got the bigger cheer, with his return being the first time he’d played in Toronto since February 2020, and his first time ever as an opposing player.
Powell was honoured with a customary tribute video during the game’s first TV stoppage.
Thank you for everything, @npowell2404 🤝 pic.twitter.com/ffV8qCnj25
— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) December 28, 2022
All love for @npowell2404 pic.twitter.com/pSs07bcfBA
— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) December 28, 2022
Leonard, of course, infamously left Toronto just weeks after the 2019 title, signing a long-term deal with the Clippers.
Powell stuck around with the Raptors for another season and a half, before being traded to Portland for Gary Trent Jr.
Powell had previously faced off against Toronto twice as a member of the Blazers: once in Portland, and once while the Raptors were playing their home games in Tampa, Florida during the 2020-21 season.
Powell averaged 9.9 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 349 games for the Raptors in his career, spread across six seasons from 2015 to 2021.
About a year after joining Portland, Powell was flipped again this past February as part of a five-player package that saw him reunite with Leonard once again.
Leonard hasn’t visited the city much, but got his own series of homecomings back in December 2019 during his first visit with the Clippers.
The billboard that went up at Yonge/Dundas late last night was thanks to New Balance / Kawhi. These came from MLSE. They would have been visible to Leonard when he arrived in Toronto with the Clippers and I understand that they'll be on display all day today. pic.twitter.com/lLgUmJJuOR
— Eric Smith (@Eric__Smith) December 11, 2019
Leonard averaged 26.6 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 60 games for the Raptors in 2018-19, where he was selected to play in his third All-Star game.
What if Kawhi stayed with the Raptors?
“If Kawhi stayed, do we go back to back?” former Toronto forward Serge Ibaka asked Fred VanVleet on a recent episode of his How Hungry Are You? cooking show.
VanVleet one-upped him though, saying the Raptors could’ve won three NBA championships in a row.
“Three-peat. For sure,” VanVleet said. “It was just a perfect group of individuals, and we all understood everybody had the right mindset for their roles, I think definitely we would’ve won a few more.”
While we’ll never know for sure what would’ve happened if the 2019 offseason looked a little differently, it’s clear that just about everyone appreciates the magic of that playoff run.