The Toronto Raptors are the one Canadian staff within the NBA, with their high canine in the meanwhile being Scottie Barnes. Regardless of his electrical defensive efficiency this season, he did not obtain the respect from the American media he deserved, particularly when it got here to handing out end-of-season awards.
As soon as upon a time, there have been two Canadian-based groups within the league. Along with the Raptors, there have been additionally the Vancouver Grizzlies. They solely lasted six years earlier than shifting to Memphis. The entire mess of shenanigans that led to which are completely coated in multiple documentary.
Whereas most gamers, coaches, and executives do not appear to have an issue with a Canadian NBA presence, some American writers and broadcasters nonetheless do. There has lengthy been a bent to dismiss the only real Canadian franchise and its gamers as irrelevant. That impacted Barnes this season.
Finish-of-season awards are voted on by what is known as a worldwide panel of 100 sportswriters and broadcasters. In actuality, the overwhelming majority of these persons are American and usually vote for gamers on American-based franchises. Lots of them simply do not pay a lot consideration to the Raptors.
Toronto Raptors‘ Scottie Barnes was robbed of at the very least two NBA honors
Barnes has been within the league since 2021 and has spent his whole profession with the Raptors. In 2025-2026, he discovered a brand new gear and took a significant step in direction of being a real celebrity, main his staff to the playoffs with an distinctive and constant defensive effort. He positively earned some recognition.
Regardless of his wonderful defensive play, he was fifth in Defensive Participant of the Yr voting behind Rudy Gobert, Ausar Thompson, Chet Holmgren, and the eventual winner, Victor Wembanyama. Whereas nobody anticipated Barnes to beat Wemby, he actually outperformed the gamers in second, third, and fourth.
Being named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Workforce makes even much less sense. Since he was fifth in DPOY voting, he ought to have been a shoo-in for the First Workforce. There are 5 spots to be given out, in any case. As a substitute, Derrick White was named to the First Workforce whereas the highest 4 DPOY vote-getters made up the remainder of these placements. Barnes was the one one within the DPOY high 5 disregarded.
If Barnes, an American athlete, performed for an American-based franchise, he would have been in at the very least the highest three in DPOY voting and would have made the NBA All-Defensive First Workforce. At the very least he was named an All-Star this yr, voting for which is completed by followers, gamers, and coaches along with the media.
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