Kelly Olynyk shares heartwarming goodbye message to Toronto Raptors fans
The Toronto Raptors had a busy NBA trade deadline, making a flurry of moves and bringing in former All-Star Brandon Ingram.
It’s an exciting acquisition, but the Raptors had to give up a basket of picks and prospects to bring Ingram to Toronto. Among the assets they gave up is veteran forward Kelly Olynyk.
Olynyk shared a special connection with the Raptors’ fanbase as he’s Canadian. While the number of Canadian players in the league is growing, there’s still not a ton, and there are even fewer that play on the Raptors, the nation’s only team.
The 33-year-old posted a heartwarming goodbye to all Raptors fans on Instagram today.
“Many kids dream about being in the NBA, but when you’re born in Canada… your dream is to be a Raptor. As a kid from Scarborough who grew up in the Loops, I was lucky enough to live out that dream,” reads the start of his post.
“Thank you to the Raptors for bringing me back home and giving me that opportunity. To my teammates, coaches, and the whole organization, it was truly an honour to play with you, work with you, and be a part of this first-class organization.”
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“To the amazing fans across the country who have had my back throughout my entire career, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Your passion and support are what make this place so special, both on and off the court.”
He went on to thank both Toronto and Canada as a whole and expressed his excitement about joining his new team. Olynyk also attached several photos from his time with the Raptors.
Olynyk is one of the more successful Canadian players of his generation, carving out a long NBA career that’s not done yet. He’s also played for the Canadian men’s national team several times, including when they won a bronze medal at the 2023 FIBA World Cup.
The Pelicans will be Olynyk’s seventh NBA team, as he’s bounced around the league quite a bit. He’s averaging seven points and shooting 44% from three so far this season and has value as a stretch big off the bench.