Toronto Raptors

We interrupt this standard NBA post-game press conference ... WITH A SPECIAL VIDEO MESSAGE FROM DRAKE?!

Yep, the rap superstar FaceTime'd his pal Kyle Lowry while the Toronto Raptors star was facing the media following Wednesday night's game against the Denver Nuggets.

There are rumblings that Toronto will trade Lowry to another team before the NBA trade deadline (Thursday at 12 PM PT) -- which means Wednesday could have been the last time Lowry rocked the Raptors uniform.

During the presser, Lowry admitted it was "kind of weird tonight not knowing what the next step would be" ... but when Drake's name popped up on his cell phone, his mood changed.

"Guys, we have a special guest here," Lowry told reporters during the video news conference.

That's when Lowry held up his phone and showed everyone Drake was on FaceTime!

"If you guys have any questions, I’m here to translate," Drake said ... "I’m his translator!"

Lowry laughed a quipped back, "No you’re not. No!! I’ll hit you when I’m done, bro."

Really funny moment between Lowry and Drake -- who's not just a Raptors superfan, he's also the team's official "global ambassador."

Big news for Toronto Raptors guard Terence Davis ... prosecutors have dropped the domestic violence charges against him stemming from an Oct. 2020 incident.

As we previously reported ... 23-year-old Davis was arrested after officials say he repeatedly punched his ex-GF in the face during an argument at the Beekman Tower hotel in NY.

Davis' ex-GF also told police he smashed her phone when she refused to stop recording him during the alleged incident.

Cops were called to the scene and he was ultimately booked for misdemeanor assault and misdemeanor criminal mischief charges.

But now, prosecutors have dropped the case against Davis, as first reported by ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Davis is a pretty good player -- he was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team in 2020 which is impressive considering he was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2019.

A man who claims to be Kawhi Leonard's pal says Jerry West owes him $2.5 MIL for his role in helping the Clippers land the NBA superstar ... and he's demanding JW pay up ASAP.

It's all in a new lawsuit obtained by TMZ Sports ... in which Johnny Wilkes spells out how he agreed to work with West for a small fortune in exchange for help getting Kawhi in a Clippers uni.

Wilkes says back on April 10, 2019, he met West at Staples Center and informed the Clippers' executive board member he had close ties to Kawhi and Kawhi's uncle, Dennis Robertson.

Wilkes says he and West exchanged contact information ... and a few weeks later, in June, West asked Wilkes for help in courting Kawhi to Los Angeles.

In the suit, Wilkes claims he told West he'd only help if the Clippers would pay him $2.5 MILLION ... and Wilkes claims West agreed to the terms.

Wilkes says in the lawsuit he "immediately went to work" ... and began convincing Kawhi and Kawhi's uncle the Clippers were the right team for him after he had just left the Toronto Raptors.

Wilkes says he told West and the Clippers they needed to get Paul George first and foremost to hook Kawhi. He then says he helped connect West with Kawhi's uncle.

Wilkes also claims in the suit he gave West a specific gameplan for how the Clippers should pitch Kawhi during an important meeting with West, Leonard, Doc Rivers and others in July 2019.

"This information was vital," Wilkes said in the lawsuit, "because it was the exact information Kawhi Leonard wanted to hear at the time in order to effectuate his signing with the Clippers."

Wilkes also says he helped facilitate a deal between West and Kawhi's uncle ... in which West agreed to give Uncle Dennis a Southern California home and a travel expense account.

Wilkes says after Kawhi ultimately agreed to sign with the Clippers in late July ... he went for a celebratory meal with West and others in Beverly Hills.

Wilkes claims West agreed yet again at the dinner to fork over $2.5 million for all the help ... but Wilkes claims in the suit he still hasn't received a penny -- and he's suing West and the Clippers for breach of contract and more.

Wilkes is asking for the $2.5 mil plus damages.

We've reached out to the Clippers for comment ... but so far, no word back.

The Tampa Bay Raptors? For now, yes.

The Toronto Raptors announced Friday they will begin the 2020-21 NBA season playing their home games in Tampa ... hours after the Canadian government reportedly ruled they could not host home games up north.

The long story short ... due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Canadian government didn't want teams flying in from the U.S. and possibly spreading the virus.

The U.S. is still considered a coronavirus hotbed -- with more than 11.8 million cases compared to just 315k in Canada.

Raptors president Masai Ujiri says the team had "productive" conversations with govt. officials in the hopes of keeping the team in Canada -- but with the season set to kick off on Dec. 22, Toronto decided it was better to start the season in Tampa and figure things out from there.

"Ultimately, the current public health situation facing Canadians, combined with the urgent need to determine where we will play means that we will begin our 2020-21 season in Tampa, Florida," Ujiri said.

Ujiri says the team is committed to planning a safe return to Toronto -- "and as an organization, we remain committed to doing all we can to promote and demonstrate public health measures to help combat the spread of COVID-19 in Canada."

"So we'll be away from our home and our fans for now. They say absence makes the heart grow fonder. I'm not sure that's possible for us -- we love Toronto and Canada, and we know we have the best fans in the NBA."

Toronto Raptors guard Terence Davis -- one of the best rookies in the NBA last season -- was arrested Tuesday after he allegedly socked his ex-GF in the face multiple times ... TMZ Sports has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell us Davis was staying with his ex-girlfriend at the Beekman Tower in Midtown Manhattan, NY ... when the two got into an argument.

Unclear what prompted the dispute ... but our sources say things got out of hand quickly -- with Davis allegedly punching the woman in the face REPEATEDLY.

We're told the altercation escalated even further after Davis' ex-GF refused to stop filming the NBA player with her phone ... so our sources say Davis grabbed it and shattered its screen.

We're told police were eventually called to the scene ... where they arrested the 23-year-old NBA player, booking him on misdemeanor assault and misdemeanor criminal mischief charges.

Meanwhile, our sources say Davis' ex-GF was taken to the hospital after complaining of swelling and pain in her left eye. We're told she was treated for her injuries and released.

Davis was a very good player for the Raptors this season after he went undrafted out of Ole Miss ... playing in all 72 of his team's games.

Raptors president Masai Ujiri says he really struggled mentally in the days after the cop shoving video was released ... even though the footage completely exonerated him.

"This was very hard for me," Ujiri told the media Thursday ... "When the video came out, I didn't sleep for a few days."

So, what bothered Ujiru -- who was clearly shoved by a white cop TWICE for no reason in June 2019 while trying to get on the court to celebrate his team's championship???

Two things ...

First, Ujiri says the false allegations that he was the instigator of that incident really started to mess with his mind.

"[After the incident] you question yourself and as time goes on you begin to doubt yourself. I doubted myself and what really happened there."

Obviously, the video clearly shows Ujiri calmly trying to show his ID badge to the officer -- and it was the officer who CLEARLY overreacted by putting his hands on Masai twice.

But, Masai says his mind would run wild about the incident -- especially while he was alone in the NBA Bubble -- and he began to wonder if he was misremembering how things really went down.

Secondly ... when the video was released, he started feeling horrible for other Black people who don't have the money, power, clout and other resources to fight back against false allegations.

"That began to bother me as a person."

Ujiri says the incident has not made him hate white people -- he says there are many white families he would trust with his own kids.

This is the most adorable video you'll see today!!

Toronto Raptors star Fred VanVleet reunited with his 2 kids after more than a month inside the NBA bubble on Monday ... and they were so excited to see their daddy, they ran right into his arms!!

Of course, players and families are starting to reconnect during the 2nd round of the playoffs ... with a limited number of loved ones allowed to enter the bubble after quarantining.

FVV's high school sweetheart, Shontai Neal, shared the emotional moment on Instagram ... showing 1-year-old Fred Jr. and 2-year-old Sanaa overly excited to see their dad on the Disney World campus.

The VanVleets have been supporting their dad from home ... with Sanaa cheering on Fred from home in a cute video last month.

Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri says RACE was the main reason he was disrespected and assaulted by a cop at the 2019 NBA Finals -- stating, "It's because I am Black."

50-year-old Ujiri has finally broken his silence about that bombshell body cam video which shows him clearly being shoved TWICE by an aggressive white deputy in the final moments of Game 6, as the Raptors were winning the title.

The video clearly proves the deputy was LYING when he claimed Ujiri instigated the altercation that night. Ujiri was calmly trying to present his security badge to the deputy when the guy flipped out, cussed him out and shoved Masai twice in the chest.

"The video sadly demonstrates how horribly I was treated by a law enforcement officer last year in the midst of my team, the Toronto Raptors, winning its first world championship," Ujiri said in a statement.

Ujiri says the moment should gave been one of the greatest of his life -- a reward after years of grinding -- but it was spoiled by that horrible deputy.

"I was reminded in that moment that despite all of my hard work and success, there are some people, including those who are supposed to protect us, who will always and only see me as something that is unworthy of respectful engagement. And, there’s only one indisputable reason why that is the case - because I am Black."

Ujiiri says he understands that he was ultimately vindicated because he had the resources to take on law enforcement -- and he fears for those who don't.

"The only reason why I am getting the justice I deserve in this moment is because of my success. Because I’m the President of a NBA team, I had access to resources that ensured I could demand and fight for my justice. So many of my brothers and sisters haven’t had, don’t have, and won’t have the same access to resources that assured my justice. And that’s why Black Lives Matter."

Toronto Raptors assistant coach Adrian Griffin is "vehemently" denying domestic violence allegations made by his ex-wife ... saying they're simply NOT TRUE.

Audrey Griffin posted a long message on Twitter Thursday ... claiming she experienced several incidents of violence from Adrian -- including when she was pregnant.

"How can someone continuously get away with abuse, almost take a life choking them while on the floor and almost passes out, throw them into a wall making a hole as big as their body, drag them across a lawn while pregnant ..." part of Audrey's message says.

Audrey continued ... "One thing I have realized is that I have been quiet and accepting of abusive behavior for far too long. And me staying silent has allowed sin to thrive. I can’t be quiet anymore. It’s too much to bear."

Adrian -- who starred at Seton Hall University and played 9 years in the NBA -- just released a statement through the Raptors ... saying his ex-wife is flat-out lying.

"This morning, accusations were made against me on social media by my former wife that I vehemently deny," Adrian says.

"We are involved in a longstanding legal dispute over alimony and child support arrangements. I am disappointed to have to address false accusations in this way, and I apologize for any distraction this has potentially caused for our team at this important time."

The Raptors added ... "When we saw these allegations this morning, we were dismayed -- Adrian is a valuable member of our team."

Masai Ujiri ain't in the clear yet from his altercation with a police officer at a 2019 NBA Finals game ... the Toronto Raptors president is now being sued over the incident.

The alleged victim, identified as Oakland police officer Alan Strickland, just filed docs in federal court claiming Ujiri owes him cold-hard cash after he says Ujiri attacked him.

The Sheriff's deputy claims Ujiri shoved him and hit him in the face and chest in the moments after the Raptors won the NBA championship vs. Golden State on June 13, 2019.

The officer at the time claimed he suffered a concussion and a jaw injury in the altercation.

But, Ujiri was able to avoid a criminal case, with the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office announcing in October it would NOT be pursuing charges against the 49-year-old.

"Mr. Ujiri attended a meeting with the District Attorney's Office focused on matters that we believe merited constructive, structured mediation and conflict resolution and were better handled in a setting outside the courtroom," a spokesperson said.

But, clearly, the officer wasn't willing to let Ujiri off that easily ... in the new lawsuit, Strickland says he's seeking damages in excess of $75,000.

Strickland is also going after the Raptors AND the NBA in the suit.

We've reached out to the NBA and Toronto Raptors for comment. A rep for the Raptors ownership group told us they were aware of the lawsuit, but had no comment.

So far, no word back from the league.

Wanna see a grown-ass man freak out on video?! Great!

Here's Toronto Raptors star Rondae Hollis-Jefferson TRYING to prove his toughness by walking on the famous glass floor at CN Towers in Toronto ... and IT DOES NOT GO WELL!

FYI, the glass floor at CN Tower (one of the tallest buildings in the world) is a major tourist attraction -- 1,112 feet above ground and people come from all over to stand on the glass and stare down! It's wild!

Rondae gave it a shot ... but when it came time to step on the glass, his fear of heights kicked in and the 25-year-old FREAKED OUT!!

The 6'6" star refused to walk on the glass -- instead he tried to crawl and scoot across ... and it's funny as hell!

For the record, ZERO people have died on the glass floors -- and building officials claim it's so strong, it could hold the weight of 35 MOOSE!!! So, chill Rondae.

There were no boo birds for Kawhi Leonard's big return to Toronto on Wednesday ... with the Klaw getting an epic tribute before his Clippers played the Raptors.

Of course, this is Leonard's first game back in the 6 after bailing for L.A. this past off-season ... and the Dinos gave an awesome video tribute of Leonard's many highlights from his lone year with the squad.

The best part of the ceremony came on the court ... with the arena lights highlighting Kawhi's path to his incredible buzzer-beating shot over the Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference Semis last season.

The reception is totally understandable ... the guy helped the Raptors earn the franchise's very first championship.

Raptors team ambassador Drake was courtside for the moment ... giving the Klaw a shoutout on Instagram, saying "Kawhi's home" while showing off his own bling.

Leonard -- who is known for showing no emotions -- clearly looked appreciative of the gesture as he hugged all his ex-teammates and received his own title ring.

Here's Drake RUNNING HIS MOUTH LAST NIGHT -- talking smack to 76ers star Joel Embiid at the Raptors game ... while rocking his giant custom championship ring!

Of course, Drake is basically the official Raptors spokesperson and talked A LOT of trash to players during the '18-'19 championship run ... it was fun to watch.

But, with Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green both on other teams, we were wondering if Drake would keep that same energy this season. Answer -- YES.

Check out Drake chanting, "MVP," at Joel Embiid as he had his worst night of his career -- scoring ZERO points on 11 shots as the Raptors went on to win 101 to 96.

As for Drake's ring, the rapper went to famous jeweler Jason of Beverly Hills to get him a one-of-a-kind piece to commemorate his team's title run.

The piece is incredible -- it's got 30 carats of diamonds, which is more than any other championship ring in NBA history.

Jason told TMZ Sports ... "Drake had me fly to Turks and Caicos for an emergency design meeting."

"It's a championship that's dear to his heart and he wanted to create an over the top ring that not only paid homage to his city but made a statement above and beyond anything else in history."

Drake didn't just cop insane NBA championship swag for himself ... the 6 God also hooked the players up BIG TIME ... buying the Toronto Raptors custom Finals jackets!!

Of course, Drizzy copped a $150k custom championship ring to commemorate the Dinos' first-ever title ... and now he's decided to gift the dope jackets to all the guys who teamed up to beat the Warriors last season.

NBA Finals hero Fred VanVleet showed off the new merch on Tuesday ... and they come with the whole roster listed on one side, the iconic OVO owl on the other.

On the back, there's a raptor clinging on to the Larry O'Brien trophy ... and the phrase "The Best in the World" on top.

If the jacket looks familiar ... it's the same one the Raptors ambassador wore at the championship parade back in June.

Two big wins for the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday ... they beat the Pelicans -- and team President Masai Ujiri beat a battery charge.

Remember, Ujiri was accused of shoving a Sheriff's deputy in the moments after the Raptors won the NBA championship back in June. The officer claimed he suffered a concussion and a jaw injury in the altercation.

Cops investigated for months ... and on Tuesday evening -- right around the time the 2019-20 NBA season kicked off -- the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office finally announced they would NOT charge Ujiri with a crime.

"The District Attorney's Office has determined that no criminal charges will be filed in the matter," they said in a statement.

"Mr. Ujiri attended a meeting with the District Attorney's Office focused on matters that we believe merited constructive, structured mediation and conflict resolution and were better handled in a setting outside the courtroom."

Officials say investigators conducted a "thorough review of the entirety of the matter" and ultimately decided against charges.

"Both Mr. Ujiri and the Sheriff's Dept. were made aware of and were in agreement with the decision to handle this matter by way of the meeting, which took place on Monday Oct. 21, 2019."

"There will be no further action taken by the D.A.'s Office."

Unclear if the alleged victim will take civil action -- but where there's money, there's usually a lawsuit ... and Ujiri and the Raptors have money.

Drake really DOES need some really big rings ... 'cause Drizzy just copped a Toronto Raptors championship ring ... and then got an even CRAZIER one done for himself!!!

TMZ Sports has learned ... not only did the Champagne Papi get the "official" ring the Raptors received during their opening night ceremony on Tuesday ... he also hit up Jason of Beverly Hills to get him a one of a kind ring to commemorate his team's title run.

The piece is incredible -- it's got 30 carats of diamonds, which is more than any other championship ring in NBA history.

Jason tells TMZ Sports ... "Drake had me fly to Turks and Caicos for an emergency design meeting."

"It's a championship that's dear to his heart and he wanted to create an over the top ring that not only paid homage to his city but made a statement above and beyond anything else in history."

As for the rings Kyle Lowry and Co. received on Tuesday ... those have a face made of 74 diamonds (to represent the number of team wins during the season), one large diamond, and custom-cut baguette diamonds to make up the Toronto skyline.

The outer edge of the ring is lined with 16 rubies to go with each roster member's numbers ... and the inside of the ring includes personal messages for each player.

According to the Raptors, it has more than 640 diamonds total -- which is a record for most on any pro-championship ring.