Thousands of Raptors fans celebrate 'unbelievable' NBA championship win

At the downtown Toronto intersection of Front Street and University Avenue, a young man named Alijoineda handfulof fans celebrating the Toronto Raptors NBA championship victory over the Golden State Warriors by climbing one of the traffic light poles.

Asked why he was up there, he simply replied, "We're the six!'

The victory was certainlya celebration for "The 6ix" a nickname popularizedby hometown Raptorsfan and superstar rapper Drake. But the Raptors havebecome more than just a Toronto team, withpeople across the country celebratingthe first Canadian team to win an NBA championship.

WATCH | Fans from across the country react to win

Toronto Raptors fans across the country react to win

5 years ago

Duration 1:19

Fans celebrated at viewing parties in cities across Canada, including Toronto, Halifax, Vancouver, Winnipeg, Montreal and Ottawa.

Dozens of cities across Ontario also held packed viewing events, as did many other places from coast to coast, includingHalifax, which threw a massive outdoor block party.

Montreal shut down two city blocks to allow the improbable: people cheering a team from Toronto. Thousands braved the rain, forming a red tide, as organizers handing out "We the North" T-shirts.

But in Toronto, the winsent thousands onto the streets, a sea of people loudly cheering, waving flags,high-fiving each other and clogging up some of themajor downtown intersections near the Scotiabank Arena, the home of the Raptors.

WATCH | Jurassic Park reacts to championship win

Jurassic Park reacts to Toronto Raptors NBA championship win

5 years ago

Duration 0:56

This is the moment the Jurassic Park crowd celebrated the Toronto Raptors' NBA Championship win.

The victorywas something Winston Kenley had been waiting for his whole life a life that has existed about as long as the basketball team.

"I'm a little older than the franchise. This is amazing," he said.

Kenley's reaction frenzied celebration, jumping up and down, arms in the air, shouting andscreaming was no different than most of thenearly 1,500 fans who had jammedinto the main square of Jurassic Park to watch the Raptors beat theGolden State Warriors 114-110 in Game 6.

Wiping away tears, 64-year-old George Bannon, a familiar presence at Jurassic Park known for his eye-catching Raptors jacket, could barely get the words out to describe his reaction.

"Pride, relief. Unbelievable," he said. "So happy for our city, our country. I'm so proud of our athletes. They're the greatest. It's the greatest feeling in the world right now."

Jurassic Park has become a central point for fan celebration in Toronto. Drake saton the main stage watching the game on Thursday. Toronto Mayor John Tory was in the front row with the crowd,taking pictures with people, mingling with fans.

WATCH | Drake celebrates Raptors championship

'Tonight belongs to Toronto': Drake celebrates Raptors historic NBA title

5 years ago

Duration 1:09

Drake speaks with reporters after the Toronto Raptors defeated the Golden State Warriors in Game 6 of the NBA Finals.

"It's unbelievable," Tory said minutes after the historic win. "This is the greatest team. It's the best fans in the world and it's the greatest city in the world, and howcould you get any better than that?We're going to have the best parade in theworld."

Subi Mahan brought his young sonsto the Park. He had celebrated with his late father in 1993 when Toronto Blue Jays won their back-to-back World Series Championship.

"I need to pay it forward so my kids could take it in, asa minority with a multicultural team like the Toronto Raptors," Mahan said.

"They were forecasting thunderstorms. But the only thunderstormwas us winning the championship."

At 4:17 a.m., a male was shot near Yonge and Dundas Square, as Raptors fans celebrated.The victim sustained "serious to life-threatening injuries," police said, and seven people were taken into custody in connection with the shooting.

As part of the celebrations, some fans set off firecrackers.

And there were at least a few significant incidents of vandalism. Some fansdestroyed the windows of a police car.

At Yonge and Dundas streets, a TTC bus positioned to block the street was tagged with graffiti and hadwindows kicked out while some fans sat on the roof singing O Canada.

WATCH | Crowds swarm Yonge-Dundas Square after Raptors victory

Crowds swarm Yonge-Dundas Square after Raptors victory

5 years ago

Duration 0:15

This is the view 38 floors up above Yonge-Dundas Square as Toronto celebrated the Raptors' NBA Championship win.

At the Fairmont Royal York Hotel,at least one fanclimbed onto the veranda, prompting some to dare him to jump, whileothers begged him not to.

"This isunreal. I've waited so long for this. Nothing likeit," saidJustin Harrison from Hamilton. "I'm not going to sleep for like 10 days."

Danny Salman, 20, said it was important to come out and celebrate on the street so the Raptors could see the fans coming together in the city.

"It shows the togetherness of all the fans. I just had to come out."

"We've been waiting along time for this," said Barada Saraf, who had been watching the game from a downtown bar."I don't know what it's like for a Toronto team to win something."

"Look at this," she said, looking at the massive crowd."How can you not be here?It's unreal."