Toronto Blue Jays legend Joe Carter had some advice for recent NBA champion Kawhi Leonard: L.A. wonât love you like Toronto will.
Carter, who was part of both the baseball clubâs 1992 and 1993 World Series wins, said winning the first time meant âhaving your name enthralled in history for the rest of your entire life and thereafter.â
Despite nearly three decades passing since he hit the pivotal home run in the 1993 win, Carter told CTVâs Your Morning, âyour name can still be prominent in Canada.â
But he said it likely wouldâve faded if heâd made the play on a team in another city full of sports stars, such as Los Angeles.
âBut (thereâs) something about being in Canada and bringing the first World [Series] championship outside of the U.S. in baseball to Canada,â Carter said, adding that a similar feeling is likely washing over players on the Raptorsâ squad.
The Canadian Baseball Hall of Famer said the team bringing home their first NBA championship âhas a great ring to it.â
The Toronto Raptors recently won their first NBA championship and on Monday, the streets of the city were filled with a massive crowd of fans who turned out to cheer the teamâs victory parade.
Leonard will officially become a free agent next month and heâs been quite silent on whether he intends on staying with the Raptors. But Carter hopes he âmakes the right decisionâ because âToronto is the place to be, baby."
âThere are so many similarities between my career and what Kawhi is going through,â he said, explaining that, like Leonard, he too was a free agent after winning the World Series.
He could have left after the Blue Jayâs first win in â92 and signed on with a higher profile team, but ultimately chose not to. At the time, Carterâs wife, children and family were living in Kansas City but he felt that âitâs not always good to play where you live at.â
âI had a dream and the Lord showed me that coming back to Toronto was what I needed to do,â he said, adding that, âToronto has become my second home.â
He said, âToronto was one of the best times of my entire life.â
Since then, Carter has been a part of several philanthropic efforts, including his annual charity golf tournament, which is now in its 10th year.
The baseball star said he helped start the Joe Carter Classic Golf Tournament as way to âgive back to the community.â Since it began, Carter estimates that $3 million has been raised for the Childrenâs Aid Foundation and other charities in the Greater Toronto Area.
âIf weâre on the pedestal, why not make something great happen?â he said. âIf we can give these kids some hope, Iâm all for it.â