DeMar DeRozan remembers a lot about the memory of his father Frank DeRozan.
DeRozan remembers that when he was young, Frank, who was a fan of basketball himself, would take a lot of VHS videos home, and then watch and discuss with DeRozan. So DeRozan’s later love for basketball was more or less accumulated from the happy time between father and son and the NBA. Michael Jordan’s dominance, Elgin Baylor’s omnipotence, Bernard King’s crazy scoring in New York, and Alex English’s shooter qualities are all stars that DeRozan and his son love to pursue. DeRozan has found the original Love, learned how a scorer puts basketball into the basket in various ways on the basketball court. What impressed him most was the art of mid-range shooting.
“When I was growing up, I didn’t have cable TV, so I watched the old games through my dad’s VHS tapes. Many kids who are playing nowadays probably haven’t watched VHS tapes.”DeRozan.“My dad often showed me the All-Star games in the 70s and 80s. Even in the 80s, those guys shot from the elbow in the All-Star game. This is really fascinating to me. Take a look. The greatest shooters in basketball history, they are all two-point shooters.”
“That’s everything I grew up and what I love. For me, that’s the basketball game.”
Therefore, we finally understand that DeRozan’s playing style that seems incompatible with this era when three-pointers is king is actually the memory of watching football with his father Frank since childhood.
DeRozan will definitely not forget how harsh Frank is to himself. Frank once played a linebacker in American football, and even short-term played for the San Diego Electric Light (now LA Electric Light) of the NFL League. Knowing the cruelty of professional sports, it is a world where everyone competes to the death. So when DeRozan was young, Frank kept pushing DeRozan. Frank did not give DeRozan any chance to breathe-DeRozan shot the ball, he directly rewarded him the hot pot without mercy; against DeRozan, he knocked DeRozan no matter what, when DeRozan was one-on-one with him , His trash talk has never stopped: you are weak, crying, your opponent doesn’t care at all. Frank knew that DeRozan would run to complain to his wife Diane, but he knew better that DeRozan would become stronger to defeat himself.
DeRozan still remembers the time his mother Diane took herself to the hospital from school. At that time, Frank, who looked extremely strong on weekdays, was lying on the hospital bed very vulnerable-he had a stroke. He remembered what Frank said at the time:“I can’t die. I can’t die until I see you succeed.”Later, whenever someone asked what DeRozan would do if he didn’t play, DeRozan’s answer never changed.“I can never give a good story. To be honest, I really don’t know. I don’t have any other options.”Frank was admitted to the hospital and immediately after his mother suffered from lupus erythematosus. The young DeRozan finally understood that at that time he could kill anyone in the adult population and basketball was the only salvation.
When DeRozan was selected by the Toronto Tyrannosaurus with the ninth overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft and received the first check of his career, he called Frank the first time. He will not forget Frank’s reaction at that time. DeRozan, who was playing in the Summer League in Las Vegas, called Frank and asked him to buy a ticket directly. Frank was not very happy at first, because a one-way ticket costs US$302, but DeRozan just said:“Don’t worry about the ticket, come directly.”
That day, perhaps DeRozan wanted to see his father’s expression after seeing his weak father recuperating on the hospital bed, fulfilling his father’s wish, and at the same time making his parents feel proud of themselves. He handed Frank a check with at least $400,000.“Dad, you never need to live near the railroad tracks in Compton anymore.”DeRozan.“I will buy you a new house. It’s time for you to leave there.”
DeMar DeRozan announces the passing of his father.
RIP ???? pic.twitter.com/WQYg8dPuJq
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 19, 2021
In that new house, Frank was really not used to it at first. There was no noise like Compton, no helicopters patrolling the sky, no noise of police cars patrolling around, everything was peaceful. He still missed DeRozan, who played far away in Canada, but he had always worked hard to help DeRozan take care of his finances, and even deal with some local charity sponsorship activities in Compton, until Frank’s body began to become weak and suffering. There are different diseases, including kidney problems.
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