After Kevin Durant went down with an apparent Achilles injury, Toronto supporters conveyed the ultimate disrespect by jeering the superstar as he was helped off the court. Now it seems like at least one Raptors devotee is trying to atone for the fans' sins by creating a fundraiser that will support Durant's charity.
On Tuesday, an account appeared on GoFundMe's website with the purpose of donating the proceeds to the Kevin Durant Charity Foundation. The goal is to raise $25,000 for the organization that supports low-income, at-risk youth with educational, social, and athletic programs. The campaign is titled "Raptor fans: Help support KD's Charity Foundation!" and was created by "true" fan and Toronto native Hamzah Moin to apologize for the crowd's antics.
"On behalf of the level-headed and true fans of Raptor Nation—from Toronto to Vancouver to Iqaluit to St. John's, and any fans living outside Canada: we wanted to say 'sorry,' " the description begins. "We're sorry that some fans of Raptor Nation at the Scotiabank Arena, Jurassic Park, and in some bars/restaurants showing the game, displayed an ugly side of fandom when they cheered on the injury of Kevin Durant. This isn't cool. This isn't right. This isn't what I expect from fellow Canadians."
The organizer went on to say fans' desire to see their team's first NBA title should not trump the ethics of sportsmanship.
"Yes, we're hungry for a championship however true NBA fans would never cheer on a man getting injured or wave goodbye as they limp to the locker-room area," the description continues before condemning the actions of both fan bases. "From racist tweets being hurled at Nav Bhatia, Raptor superfan to part-owners shoving players...there have been a lot of heated moments throughout these playoffs. Both of the examples had crazy fans that did not reflect their team's fanbase. I'd like to believe that the people cheering / waving goodbye at KD inside Scotiabank and in Jurassic Park also do not reflect our passionate fanbase... So I'd like to at least do my part in turning lemons into lemonade and showing the world how uncrappy we are."
In one day, over 150 people have rallied behind Moin's message to collect a sum of $3,800.
