(Toronto) The management of the Toronto Raptors wanted to ensure that the players fought until the last day of the regular NBA calendar, so they asked legendary Quebec fighter Georges St-Pierre to give them a motivational speech.
Posted at 2:26 p.m.
John Chidley-Hill The Canadian Press
St-Pierre met with the team for about 30 minutes, then answered questions from the players before they took the field for their practice session on Wednesday.
» GSP attended the practice session held at the OVO Athletic Center, and spoke with Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic, star player Scottie Barnes and the support staff.
“You have to learn to control yourself, stay in your bubble, and then work tirelessly to maintain your body,” Barnes said of what he learned from the “GSP” speech. You have to have the killer instinct when you find yourself on the floor.
“When he was there (in the octagon), he acted like a mad dog, he had the killer instinct, and then when he came back into the real world, he found his calm, a way of being serene . »
St-Pierre, from Saint-Isidore, was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2020 and the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame in 2023. The Quebecer has already been UFC champion in two different weight classes, and he concluded his professional career with a 28-2 record.
Barnes, who described himself as a mixed martial arts enthusiast, said he learned a lot about resilience and physical preparation from St-Pierre.
“I remember seeing him win a belt, seeing him lose it (to Matt Hughes), and then having a few fights before getting another opportunity (to win it back),” Barnes said. We see him begging the UFC to give him another championship fight, we see him asking for another chance (from the UFC). He was on his knees, begging.
“It shows all his passion for his sport. He absolutely wanted to be the best. It’s very motivating,” Barnes continued.
This was the Raptors’ first practice after the NBA All-Star break.
2024-02-21 19:59:02
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