DeRozan’s daughter goes viral for heckling Raptors in season-ending loss
Posted April 13, 2023 9:43 am.
Last Updated April 13, 2023 9:48 am.
DeMar DeRozan helped the Chicago Bulls in dispelling his former team in an NBA play-in game on Wednesday night — ending the Toronto Raptors season in the process.
But it was another member of the DeRozan family who made headlines following the game. Diar, DeMar’s nine-year-old daughter was trending on social media and being lauded as the Bulls’ X-factor in their win at Scotiabank Arena.
Diar could be heard over the broadcast, screaming every time the Raptors attempted a free-throw. The tactic appeared to work, with the Raptors missing 18 free throws on their way to squandering a 19-point third quarter lead and ending their season.
Diar DeRozan deserved her own highlight reel tonight ???? pic.twitter.com/nUMNKrGtVQ
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 13, 2023
“She went viral,” DeMar acknowledged after the win when asked about his daughter’s impact on the game. “I kept hearing something during the game. Somebody missed, I looked back and was like ‘damn, that’s my daughter screaming.'”
Pascal Siakam drew a three-point foul in the final seconds and would have tied the game if he made all three. He only made one. The team as a whole only made 50 per cent of their 36 free-throw attempts
The Toronto Raptors capped off their season on Wednesday night, losing a must-win game 109-105 and shooting 18-of-36 from the line.
(@michaelgrange) https://t.co/kx1UqniSXV
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 13, 2023
DeMar said his daughter called him in the days leading up to the game and asked if she could attend the play-in game in Toronto in person.
“I almost said no, because she’s in school back home,” he said. “She kept asking, she was just adamant about coming to support.”
He finally relented, letting Diar skip one day of school to come watch her dad play in the city he called home for nine seasons.
“I’m glad I did. I owe her some money for sure.”
DeMar DeRozan visited the Raptors locker room after the Bulls beat them in the play-in game. I asked Fred about the conversation that they had: pic.twitter.com/J6gBEk4QEJ
— Lindsay Dunn (@LindsayDunnTV) April 13, 2023
DeRozan visited the Raptors locker-room after the game and had a lengthy conversation with former teammate Fred VanVleet.
The Raptors hosted the play-in game after finishing the regular season with a 41-41 record, good for ninth in the east. That put them just ahead of the 40-42 Bulls in the standings.
Chicago will face the Miami Heat on Friday in the second round of the play-in tournament. The winner of that game will be the eighth seed in the NBA Eastern Conference playoffs, playing the No. 1 Milwaukee Bucks in the first round.
