Normally hockey mad Canada would be consumed with the Stanley Cup finals right about now. But in a country of 37 million often divided by language and politics, basketball, invented by Canadian James Naismith, is now a unifying force. Much of Canada would rather chew on broken glass than support any Toronto team but the heavily marketed Raptors have found a national following. "There is no question Toronto has always had aspirations to be the nation's basketball team. This blue collar work ethic has also allowed the Raptors to deepen their connection with the fans tapping into Canadian values more often associated with hockey.

Source: The Star May 30, 2019 16:18 UTC