Has anybody ever bumped into Raptors/NBA players or personnel? Got any stories worth sharing?

[gnaz]

I used to work as an in-room dining waiter at a fancy downtown hotel and I got to meet a lot of athletes and celebrities, not just NBA players. I remember Channing Frye being tall AF when I stood next to him. I met the Yankees, Red Sox, I delivered breakfast to Sidney Crosby, and I remember him sitting down on his bed and looking very short and unimpressive in stature, and I only realized who it was when I saw him in person because all players would use nicknames when checking in to hotels, so you never really know who you're delivering breakfast to.

Not to go off on a tangent, but for the baseball people here, I remember CC Sabathia personally tipping me $100 one time. A-rod and David Ortiz are both great tippers. I remember delivering food to Michael Pineda when he was a rookie and I thought he looked stoned out of his damn mind, he could barely speak.

I also have a Sam Mitchell story. He would stay in a room with a female companion (I thought she was an escort, but who knows), and Sam didn't know that I knew that he was staying in that room, so when I delivered dinner to him, he would go hide in the closet and get the woman to open the door for me to come in. I just thought it was funny at the time.

Anyways I got a lot more, probably too much to share.

[Fairview4Life]

My man, have I got a thread for you:

viewtopic.php?f=32&t=1341511

Loool I was contemplating firing up my PC to find this bookmark. :lol: :lol: :lol:

Could have gone with this one...
https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=32&t=876270

Imagine that being your only post on RealGM.

[tecumseh18]

My man, have I got a thread for you:

viewtopic.php?f=32&t=1341511

Loool I was contemplating firing up my PC to find this bookmark.

Could have gone with this one...
https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=32&t=876270

Imagine that being your only post on RealGM.

Oddly enough, Hitman and1'd a 2019 post that just happened to reference his legendary post. So he hangs around. Most likely he has another account here.

[Senbonzakura]

Walked past Dwane Casey in Vegas during the summer league not long after he got fired. Thought it'd be too awkward to try to stop him to talk though lol

[Coco Costanza]

While I didn't bump into him, I did see Chris Bosh once in the Path (I forget what building). I'm walking and I see a small crowd standing, taking photos, and then I see him. He was doing some kind or promotional, but what struck me about him was how tall and thin he was. You don't really see people as tall as him in real life very often, and you don't always get a sense of how tall basketball players are when standing next to other players. He towered over everyone. It was like seeing the world's tallest man wax statue at Rippley's.

[raptorstime]

Met JYD at a boys and girls club. I think he helped write some kids books at the time.

[C_Money]

I saw Alphonso Mckinney walk through a crowd of Raptor fans outside the arena and nobody recognized who he was lol.

Got Andre Iguodala’s autograph at a mall one time too.

[random_hero891]

this 1 time I saw Jake the snake welcum Maytricks to dino team. Championship time.

[JCutter]

Met Tracy Murray at the Yonge and Dundas HMV back when I was in university....way back in the early 200’s before cell phone cameras were a big thing. Nice guy but was in a rush because it was a game day (he was playing for the Trail Blazers at the time).

Also ran into James Johnson in Humber Bay Shores the summer before he signed with Miami. He was with a girl, so didn’t bother him.

[TR50]

I have a few stories as well:

I used to work in the restaurant industry and had the pleasure of serving Rowan Barret just last year in the fall. Talked a bit about RJ as well as the Raptors. He was with his dad I think. Pure class acts and was a really nice experience.

Also happened to have Matt Devlin in the restaurant once. He was also really cool. I was able to say hey and shake his hand. Even sent him an email and he was just a super guy.

While working at a different restaurant I won a Raptors for a day type of thing where the winners were able to go to the ACC for a bunch of drills and meet the coaches. Met Demar there. As we all know, he was really cool but also seemed a little bit shy. I had the chance to talk to and be coached by Tom Sterner. He really is a man with a LOT of energy, enthusiasm and positivity. Also met Dwane Casey who was just a really cool dude too. He is also JACKED lol.

Speaking of Jack, met good ol' Jack Armstrong at the same event. He was doing a Q&A at the time and we chatted about the Raptors from 2000, who he thought if we beat Philly, would have given the Lakers a run for their money (but many also think that). He also spoke really glowingly about our chances and that we were on the right path. This was the year Washington swept us.

I once met Pops Mensah Bonsu at a Raptors home opener. We chatted a little bit about the Raptors and their chances. I was able to tell him that his dunk back on St. Patty's day over Hibbert had me jumping out of my seat. Really nice guy as well and offered to take a picture.

Much longer ago, I was also able to meet Hakeem Olajuwon, maybe at the same event that another poster hear said. He was doing a talk at a Mosque and was a really humble guy. He signed a magazine that I had.

I likely have more but am talking too much!

[Knucknbuc]

met lou will at a gas station in philly onetime after a game. guys cool and down to earth.

Sent from my SM-G975U using RealGM mobile app

[jimmy keys]

Went to a Raptors dinner thing. Was served by Anthony Parker and he was absolutely the nicest person. So humble and cool.

Bumped into Calderon at Starbucks once. Said "Raptor forever man, hope you stay here" or something like that. He was pretty good and smiled and said he appreciated it.

Walked past Bargnani on the street. Such a huge human being. Didn't say anything though because ... it's Bargnani.

Met Jay Triano briefly, again super nice guy.

I've told the Babcock story so many times. But I emailed all the email addresses of variations of his name, asking for advice for someone looking to get into ball. He actually called me and we spoke for 5 minutes.

My high school coach played college ball with Jay Triano and they were still good friends. One day he had Jay come in and run our practice. I agree he is a great guy and excellent coach. It was cool to see him on the Raptors bench a few years later.

[tradejosehesux]

Carlos Rogers - 1996 at the McDonalds at Bloor and Yonge.

It was a Sunday afternoon (Raps had a matinée that day) and I asked him if the Raps won (obviously before smart phones). His answer with a smile "I don't even know, I wasn't there"

[mcgrady_1]

Used to work at Crowne Plaza DVP quite a few years ago and met entire team. Watched Marcus Camby walk face first into the entry door. Looked like it hurt.

Also used to see Leo and Butch Carter all the time at York & Queens Quay. Both really nice and actually stop to talk to you.

Lucky enough to meet a few stars like Jackie Chan, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Ryan Reynolds, Jaime Fox etc.

Met J-Lo once before she got super famous. Worked in Yorkville and was having a smoke when the girls I was with told me she was shopping at upstairs. I spit out my cigarette and ran upstairs and was greeted by a very big security dude. He asked if I wanted to meet her and I said please so he told me to wait outside the change room. She came out, I gave her a hug, welcomed her to the city and tried my best to get her to come out to Babalu's but she didn't come. I tried.

[C Court]

I was at a private Raptors charity event at the Park Hyatt with my wife. The guy next to me in a John Deere baseball cap started talking about family, kids, sports etc. Seemed like a nice guy. Then Mrs CC tells me I am talking to Denzell Washington.

Denzel is a genuine nice guy and easy to talk to. Before he left (was flying back to LA on a private jet for the weekend), he agreed to let me take a pic.

[El Mas Chingon]

José's rookie year I saw him at restaurant on Valentine's Day having dinner with a lady friend. Maybe his gf? Or wife. I looked over a few times and was kinda giddy. My date had no idea who he was.

I saw Magloir in the parking garage of his condo or maybe it was his mom's condo in Scarborough. I parked really close to him and was shocked when I got out and recognize him. He must have seen my eyes popping out. He gave me a nod.

I saw Cabocolo at Pearson going through customs. Didn't get close enough to say anything.

And back in the day I use to frequent a Latin club in Yorkville called Babaluu. Kevin Willis was a regular. I never saw him dancing. My memory of him is looking sharp, in a suit and chillin off to the side and smoking a cigar. I guess the smoking in clubs and bars ban was fairly recent, so there was either a smoking room or it was on the patio. Anyway, one time I went out there to have a smoke while he was there. It was understood that he wasn't to be bothered. Man those were the good ol' days. I just checked when he played here, 98-2001. The club scene in Toronto was insane.

[artsncrafts]

Saw Matt Bonner at Beer Market, took a picture with him. I was really drunk otherwise I wouldnt have bothered him but he was really nice.

Saw Bryan Colangelo at the LCBO like 2 years ago, I wouldnt have sasid anything to him but some random guy (probably a realGMer) made me take a picture of them with his phone. It was awkward.

[El Mas Chingon]

Oh ya one time a friend's friend invited us to have dinner at RealSports with Jonesy after the game. We chatted about ball all night. I think it was DeRozan's first all star year. We were both really excited about how good he was becoming.

[G_Misconduct]

St Patrick's Day 2011 I think.... It was the middle of the week and the first warm day of the year

Was downtown pub hopping with some friends on a day off and wound up getting pretty tuned up lol

We were chilling outside the LCBO at King and Spadina and there was this huge, insanely nice looking Hummer parked at the corner with tinted windows. A girl we met at one of the bars who came with us starts straddling the hood and I get a little nervous because this is someone's nice car and they might not appreciate it

Out of the LCBO comes Amir Johnson with a whole case of fancy bottles and he just dies laughing, he opened up the door and the truck is full of guys in tears laughing. We cracked a couple quick jokes and it was no harm, no foul

[RaptorHooter]

I have a few good stories, but this is the funniest one for those involved.

I was at The Big House for opening day 1999, along with the largest crowd in NCAA history we witnessed Tom Brady lead Michigan over Notre Dame in a very historic game. I watched with a friend down at field level and afterwords we went on to a packed field to get a few pics.

I saw Isiah Thomas and went over and introduced myself, I then asked him if I could get a pic with him and my friend who had also gone to IU, he said sure. The joke is my friend had written a few articles in the Toronto press that had rubbed Zeke the wrong way and in the post game pandemonium I was able to get them together for a pic before either realized who the other was. Decades later writing this and I'm still proud of myself for pulling it off and hopefully the story captures the moment.