Toronto Raptors’ assistant coach Alex McKechnie calls Coquitlam, B.C. his off-season home and this summer he brought a special treat to share with everyone.
The Larry O’Brien Trophy.
On July 23, McKechnie brought the NBA championship trophy to the British Columbia Sports Hall of Fame at B.C. Place Stadium. An apt location, because the province’s sports shrine contains artifacts from when the Vancouver Whitecaps joined the North American Soccer League in 1974 and McKechnie was on the team’s medical staff.
Since then, the Scottish-Canadian sports science guru, known for “load management,” has worked with some of North America’s top athletes. But winning the NBA championship for a Canadian team is the crowning achievement.
What set the Raptors apart from other championship on which he has worked?
“A real belief, the coaching staff was amazing, there was a belief from the front office, a belief on everything. I think during my Laker years, we had superstars with Shaq and Kobe… there was an expectation of winning and I think in this case it wasn’t really expected ‘Are they for real?’ those are the questions that media would ask. There was a real belief in the group and that just grew and grew and grew. Complete unselfishness within our locker room, a belief from the coaching staff, an ability to empower the players.”
On this edition of theBreaker.news Podcast, hear McKechnie talk to reporters about how the Raptors became champions and about his reaction to NBA MVP Kawhi Leonard signing a free agency deal with the Los Angeles Clippers.
McKechnie said he has at least another year with the Raptors and it unofficially begins in August when he will bring eight players to Burnaby for a testing and development camp.
Plus, Pacific Northwest and Pacific Rim headlines and commentaries.
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