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DeMar DeRozan recalls making his NBA debut in Cleveland 15 years ago

Deebo has come a long way since his NBA debut in Cleveland 15 years ago.

Nick Raguz

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Chicago Bulls wingman DeMar DeRozan is a 15-year veteran well-respected by teammates and opponents alike. Though DeRozan is now the wise veteran who takes pride in mentoring younger teammates like Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu, and Patrick Williams, there was a time when Deebo was a wide-eyed youngster who made his way into the NBA by way of USC.

DeRozan recently looked back on his NBA debut, which he made in Cleveland 15 years ago.

NBA debut against LeBron James and Shaq

Taken ninth overall in the 2009 NBA Draft—a draft that included league MVPs James Harden and Steph Curry—DeRozan was expected to be the Toronto Raptors’ next big thing, following in the footsteps of Vince Carter. His first game came against a Cleveland Cavaliers squad that had LeBron James and Shaquille O’Neal.

“I had no hair, trying to rock the low-cut, baldy look like Kob,” Deebo said while looking at footage of his very first game.

“I remember my parents were hyped to be there.”

The Raptors won that game, 101-91, with DeRozan coming up with modest numbers of eight points, five rebounds, an assist, a steal, and a block.

Two things DeRozan remembers

Since that game, Deebo has played in over a thousand regular season games, while suiting up for the Raptors, the San Antonio Spurs, and his current squad, the Chicago Bulls. However, DeRozan still remembers two details from his NBA debut, which still stand out in his mind.

“There are two things I remember from that game: getting a block on Shaq and getting my first bucket,” DeRozan remarked.

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Nick Raguz
NICK RAGUZ

Nick's journey has been an exciting fusion of basketball and the written word. A former basketball player himself, he possesses an insatiable appetite for all things NBA-related, spanning from the captivating tales of old-school NBA to intriguing statistics and the latest updates from the association.

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