, but this is what they do," said Atlantas Kyle Korver.

TORONTO - 12 months ago DeMar DeRozan carried the weight of an expiring contract into training camp as he prepped for his fourth NBA season with the Raptors. Jordan Henderson England Jersey . In many ways he was a different person with different responsibilities, different motivations. He had a lot to prove but he wasnt fully ready to prove it, not like he is now. He was still a young man. A year later, DeRozan finds himself in a similar setting - looking to end the Raptors playoff drought and reach the postseason for the first time in his professional career - but as training camp winds down and the regular season approaches, he appears to be a noticeably changed man. Now, hes a young adult. Fresh off the most eventful year of his life, the 24-year-old says he feels a lot older than his age suggests. The day after opening night will mark the one-year anniversary since DeRozan signed a $38 million extension keeping him in Toronto through the 2016-17 season. Since inking his new contact he put up career numbers playing in all 82 games last year, he participated in Team USAs minicamp this summer and more personally, he became a father. As he notes, he has grown up off the court just as much as he has on it. "I see a lot of film and a lot of pictures from my rookie year, my second year, my third year," DeRozan said in an interview with TSN.ca after a weekend practice in the Raptors gym. "You [can] just see how much Ive grown personality-wise [and] as a basketball player, especially now as a father, having a daughter and having [those] responsibilities to take care of. So its definitely [been] a major growth year." On May 12, DeRozan and his fiancee, Kiara, became first-time parents to daughter Diar; a day that forever changed his life, a day thats largely responsible for his transformation. "I cant even tell you in words, to explain it," he said, struggling to articulate how he felt in that moment. "It just put life all together for me and helped me understand the important things in life. Its definitely big, it means the world to me and theres not a word I can find to sum up the feeling." "It changes you most definitely for the better, it helps you become more of a man." Entering his fifth season, DeRozans growth has not gone unnoticed in training camp. As his coach and teammates have pointed out, that sense of responsibility and maturity has transcended his personal life and carried over on the basketball court where he seems poised to take his game to the next level. "Hes growing up," Rudy Gay has noticed of DeRozan. "Hes a father now, he has a family he has to provide for. Its the little things, not little things to him, but those little things on the outside make him seem more grown up, and he is. Hes spending more time in the gym, other than being with his kid. Hes really hungry and everybody around here sees it." "DeMar has grown," coach Dwane Casey echoed. "Hes grown as a person, as a young man, as an NBA player. Hes doing things now just instinctively where my first year, two years ago it was more teaching and talking to him about those situations where now theyre natural. So thats a sign of growth, thats a sign of maturity and he has really, really grown as a basketball player and most of all as a young man, which is great to see." Praised repeatedly throughout his time in Toronto for his unrelenting work ethic, DeRozan continued to refine his game this summer. When he wasnt changing diapers you could find him in the gym hoisting three-pointers - he would shoot until he made at least 300 per session - or perfecting an array of post moves he has displayed to perfection in the preseason. The fruits of his labour, for now, have resulted in a number of dominant moments during the exhibition season. Building off of last years improvement in the post, DeRozan has impressed with his footwork and creativity around the basket, getting to the rim and to the line with ease. He has handled the ball with confidence, passed out of double teams and shown improvement on defence. "Its beautiful because he is such a wonderful young man," Casey said of DeRozans evolution on the court. "Hes paid his dues, hes paid the price, hes put [in] his time in the gym. Hes done it himself. Every phase of the game hes worked on in the summer." To take the next step as an NBA player, DeRozan knows he has to put everything hes worked on together, staying consistent and efficient on both ends. While many professional athletes are motivated by money and the prospect of making more of it - something he already has covered, at least for the next four seasons - DeRozan is fuelled by his appetite to win and the fact that through four NBA seasons, he hasnt tasted much success. "[Making the playoffs] would completely mean everything," said DeRozan, now the longest tenured Raptors player (he and Amir Johnson are both entering their fifth year with the team). "Thats my biggest goal, just get us back there and get us back to winning and just get that joyful feeling again from the fans." Losing hasnt been easy on DeRozan, a born competitor, and hes done a lot of it since the Raptors selected him out of USC with the ninth pick in the 2009 draft. The team narrowly missed the postseason in DeRozans rookie season, going 40-42 before Chris Bosh bolted to Miami. Over the next three years Toronto had a combined record of 79-151. It hasnt been easy but its been a learning experience for DeRozan, an experience thats allowed him to play through mistakes and another contributing factor to the growth process. "When you go through rough times it helps you grow that much more and understand what you have to do to get better and help your team get better," he reflected. "Going through four tough years really helped me grow in every aspect. [Im] more of a leader, more of a man, more of an athlete." Leadership has been the biggest adjustment for DeRozan. A self-proclaimed recluse, he is reserved and mild mannered as a person but, with time, is becoming a more vocal player. "Hes still young," Gay pointed out. "I dont think people realize how young he is. You cant really expect him to know all the things there is. Hes played a lot of basketball but its a different kind of feel when youre playing winning basketball, and [its] not his fault at all, but now we have a team that can win and I think that everybody thats here that has won hes listening to and hes figuring out how to do it himself." "Everybody goes through it, Ive been through it so I can relate to him a lot," Gay continued, having also missed the playoffs in his first four seasons before reaching the postseason with Memphis in his fifth year. "Yeah, I can see hes hungry, hes talked about it a lot during the summer with me and I think we all are." DeRozan has experienced more in the last 12 months than most do in a single year. Hes come a long way since being drafted as a 19-year-old and playing his first game a couple months after his 20th birthday. Hes gone through things, both good and bad, that have forced him to mature faster than most people his age. Sometimes its easy to forget that hes only and just barely-turned 24. "Thats the thing about the NBA, you want players to dominate right now but when guys are young coming into the league its virtually [impossible]," Casey said. "I havent seen it happen yet and Ive been in [the league] now 21, 22 years. Any time a player comes in there is a growth process and you want it to happen yesterday but it takes time." "DeMar is right on schedule. Its time for him to do that, to grow and to be the player he was drafted to be. In some players the light doesnt come on and youll know that after the four-year period, or five-year period, but with him the light is on and theres someone in the house and hes ready to roll. Nows the time for him." David Beckham England Jersey . -- Rory McIlroy birdied his last two holes Thursday for a 7-under 63 to take the lead after one round of the Honda Classic. Eric Dier Jersey .Tatjana Haenni, FIFAs head of womens competitions, told a FIFA Live Your Goals Tour news conference Friday that the artificial turf is being tested to make sure it meets standards. http://www.englandsoccerpro.com/Fabian-Delph-England-Jersey/ . The 2014 edition will be the ninth meeting between the Caps and Vikes in a tradition that dates back to 2005. "Since the original Whitecaps, the club has enjoyed fantastic support from fans in Victoria and all across Vancouver Island," said Whitecaps FC president Bob Lenarduzzi.ATLANTA -- Gregg Popovich said he couldnt enjoy a lopsided win over longtime Spurs assistant Mike Budenholzer. Tim Duncan had 17 points and 16 rebounds in another dominant performance against Atlanta and San Antonio coasted to a 105-79 win over the short-handed Hawks on Friday night. Budenholzer, in his first season as the Hawks coach, was in the San Antonio organization for 19 years, including 17 as an assistant, and the last six as Popovichs top aide. Popovich said facing Budenholzer was difficult. "Actually, its no fun at all, to tell you the truth," Popovich said. "If you win, you feel bad. If you lose you always feel bad. Its a no-win when that happens." The Hawks, already short-handed without Pero Antic and DeMarre Carroll, lost point guard Jeff Teague to a left ankle sprain in the second period. Teague didnt return and is expected to miss at least two games. Boris Diaw led the Spurs with 21 points. Patty Mills, who made a career-high six 3-pointers, had 18 points. Cory Joseph started for Kawhi Leonard, who will miss three to four weeks with a broken bone in his right hand. Joseph had eight points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals. Leonard joined starting centre Tiago Splitter (sprained right shoulder) and former starter Danny Green (broken left index finger) on San Antonios injured list. Mills said it was "everyones mindset" to step up for the missing players. "Weve got big shoes to fill until everyone gets back," Mills said. "Guys go down, weve still got to stick to the game plan and we were able to do that tonight." The Hawks have an even longer injury list. Budenholzer said Teague will not be with the team for a two-game trip to Milwaukee and Oklahoma City. The Hawks play at Milwaukee on Saturday night. "We will hope that Jeff recovers quickly," Budenholzer said. Teague was leading the Hawks with nine points when he hurt his ankle by landing on Duncans foot. Teague then limped off the court. Even with Teague, the Hawks had only 10 players in uniform. They played their first game after losing Antic for two to four weeks with a sttress fracture in his right ankle. England Jerseys. Antic had been the replacement for Al Horford, who was lost for the season when he tore his right pectoral muscle on Dec. 26. Carroll was held out with a mild strain to his left hamstring. Budenholzer said the Hawks cant focus on the injuries. "I think nobody else in the league cares if theres a mounting toll or what our injury status is," Budenholzer said. Paul Millsaps 15 points led the Hawks, who set a season scoring low. Duncan, who blocked four shots, and point guard Tony Parker didnt return after leaving the game with the Spurs leading 77-50 late in the third quarter. The Spurs used backup players in the fourth. Parker had 11 points and seven assists. Duncan, who had 23 points and 21 rebounds in the Spurs 102-100 win over the Hawks on Dec. 2 in San Antonio, enjoyed a strong start in the rematch. He blocked Millsaps shot on the Hawks first possession, then hit a jumper before blocking an attempt by Gustavo Ayon on Atlantas next attempt. The Hawks last lead was 7-6. Back-to-back baskets by Parker and Duncan gave San Antonio the lead for good. Mills sank three 3-pointers in the final minutes of the opening period to stretch the lead to 27-14. The Spurs kept the lead in double figures the remainder of the game. "It doesnt make us feel any better, but this is what they do," said Atlantas Kyle Korver. "Theyre a well-oiled machine." Korver scored his only points on a 3-pointer with about 6 minutes remaining in the first half. He extended his NBA record to 111 consecutive games with a 3-pointer. Budenholzer was called for a technical foul in the second quarter. NOTES: Popovich tied Red Auerbach for 10th place all-time with 938 wins. ... Duncan posted his 17th double-double of the season. ... The Hawks set their previous scoring low in an 83-80 loss to Houston on Jan. 10. ... The Spurs are 6-0 on the road against Eastern Conference teams. ... San Antonio signed G Othyus Jeffers to a 10-day contract. Jeffers averaged 22.8 points and 11.4 rebounds in 22 games with the Iowa Energy of the NBA Development League this season. Cheap Authentic Jerseys Camo China NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Gear Wholesale Jerseys 2019 Wholesale NFL Hoodies Wholesale Jerseys Free Shipping ' ' '