Dancing Toronto Starbucks barista visits the Raptors

YouTube sensation Sam Forbes, the dancing Toronto barista, had a special visit with the Raptors this week, sitting front row at Monday's game and attending a practice on Tuesday, all thanks to Ellen DeGeneres.

Toronto's dancing barista, Sam Forbes, sat courtside at Monday's game and visited a practice

CBC News Posted: Mar 29, 2016 7:11 PM EDT | Last Updated: March 30, 2016

Sam Forbes, the dancing barista, visits the Raptors

9 years ago

0:41

Viral YouTube sensation Sam Forbes the dancing Toronto barista, along with his manager Chris Ali, had a special visit with the Raptors this week, sitting front row at Monday's game and attending a practice on Tuesday, all thanks to Ellen DeGeneres.

Sam Forbes, thedancing Starbucksbaristafrom Toronto whohas taken YouTube by storm, hasalready had one dancewith fame on U. S. television this year.

Now, he's had another on the basketball court.

One month after sitting down with American talk show hostEllen DeGeneres, Forbesand his manager, Chris Ali, have gotten tight with theToronto Raptors sitting courtside for an NBA game Monday night and visiting a Raptorspractice on Tuesday.

DeGeneres surprised the duowith a videoinvitationfrom the Raptorsafter they appeared on her show in February.

Forbes, ahigh school student with autism, uses dance moves to help him control his movements, store manager Chris Ali told CBC News back in January.

A YouTube video of Forbes's moves went viral, and caught the attention of DeGeneres.

Last month, she surprised Forbes witha custom tip jar and a dream trip to Japan.

The pair also got thesurprise video invitationfrom Raptors DeMar DeRozan, Kyle Lowry, and the team's generalmanager, Masai Ujiri.

Forbes did adance for the team before they took the court against Oklahoma Monday night.

"You've got to love somebody like that, that walks around with no excuses," saidDeRozanat Tuesday's practice."He's really an inspiration for us. I know he's a fan of ours, but after we've seen his story we definitely became fans of his."

Sam Forbes, the dancing Toronto Starbucks barista, sits courtside for a Raptors game with his manager, Chris Ali. (CBC)

The Raptors lost, but Forbes was chosen as the Performer of the Game. He offered some tips to the team to improve their own dance moves.

"Watch a lot of videos doing the wip and nae nae," he said.

Forbeswants to continue being an advocate for peoplewith autism.He takes that trip toJapan in October.

CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices|About CBC News

Corrections and clarifications|Submit a news tip|