Drake says Kawhi Leonard misses Raptors fans, city of Toronto

The Toronto Raptors took to their home court on Monday night for the second time this preseason, and were greeted by a familiar face sitting courtside, grinning and charming his way through the night.

Rap sensation and Toronto native Drake was in the building to take in the Raptors’ 107-92 win over the Houston Rockets at Scotiabank Arena. TSN took the opportunity to briefly include him on the game broadcast alongside play-by-play duo Matt Devlin and Jack Armstrong.

When the conversation shifted to former Raptors superstar Kawhi Leonard, Drake mentioned how appreciative Leonard is for the short time he spent in Toronto.

"Whenever I see him, he expresses the utmost gratitude and always says how much he misses the fans and the city," Drake said. "He's really grateful for his time here and we definitely miss him."

Leonard chose to sign with the Los Angeles Clippers following Toronto’s 2019 NBA Championship run, during which he earned a Finals MVP award and cemented himself as one of the game’s best. The 30-year-old has struggled to replicate that success with the Clippers, and will likely miss the majority of this season after tearing his ACL in the 2021 playoffs.

Leonard and Drake developed a good relationship in their year spent together in Toronto, and have since collaborated on some projects off the court.

The 34-year-old rapper also confirmed he’ll be attending the Raptors’ opening night game on Oct. 20 against the Washington Wizards, as Toronto prepares to welcome its team back home after a year-and-a-half hiatus.

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