Toronto Raptors Revealed Some Of The Most Hateful DMs They've Received & It's Heinous
Social media platforms have always been pretty hostile environments for professional athletes, with the Toronto Raptors being no exception.
However, the launch of Ontario's legalized sports betting market appears to have increased the amount of online hate being aimed at the team.
During recent podcast appearances, Toronto Raptors' Chris Boucher and Fred VanVleet spoke candidly about some of the hateful DMs they've received since the legalization of the market.
"Somebody said, 'I chose the wrong slave today.' Literally, sent me that message," Boucher recalled on the Hustle Play podcast. "I had to read it, I couldn't believe it. He said, 'I chose the wrong slave,' because I had only five points and he needed me to score 10."
Chris Boucher: Social media criticism can push you to the edgewww.youtube.com
VanVleet offered a similarly jarring remark when asked about Boucher's comment on the issue while appearing on the Strictly Hoops podcast.
"You can't fathom dealing with this on a daily basis," he said. "You can't fathom an 'I hope your mom dies' DM every day," the NBA star said.
Raptors' Fred VanVleet on knowing yourself, growth & hard work | Strictly Hoopswww.youtube.com
Of the two players, VanVleet seemed the least affected by his online haters, crediting his tough upbringing and ability to disconnect for his resilience.
"In a way, I'm grateful for it because it's helped me do two things. I've been staying off of Twitter, which has been great for me. And two, I stopped looking at my Instagram DMs because it's all bets." he said.
Of course, VanVleet is no stranger to conflict.
The point guard was fined $30,000 in March after getting into a heated spat with NBA referees.
During a post-game conference, the 29-year-old even went as far as to refer to the refs as "d*cks" who were going on a "power trip."
Nevertheless, Boucher seemed more concerned about the damage legal betting has done to the relationship between fans and players.
"The players now they don't really mess with fans as much," Boucher said.
"Do I really want to talk to you? Because if I score eight, you know you're gonna flame my Twitter, my Instagram and everything," the power forward added.
Single-game sports betting in Ontario first became legal on August 27, 2021, but it was limited to the government-run Proline Plus.
An update on April 4, 2022, allowed betting giants such as DraftKings, BetMGM, and FanDuel to legally operate in Ontario — further advancing the scope of what services are available to bettors across the province.
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.
Daniel Hagon | Narcity Media
Daniel Hagon | Narcity Media
