After four seasons with the Spurs, Joseph signed with his hometown Toronto Raptors, and helped play a huge role in helping the team reach its first Eastern Conference final in franchise history. But that was last year and Joseph and his teammates know they can't dwell on the past. 

"We did well last year, but last year is last year. This is a new year and we have to focus on each game to put us in a good position for later on. Last year we had a lot of guys who were new here, but now we're settled so were just going." 

Joseph is one of few Canadian players over the past few years who have really helped the growth of the sport across the country. He was the captain of Team Canada at the 2015 FIBA Americas Championship, where he hit a buzzer beater to secure the bronze for Canada. 

"It feels great to be a Canadian and have a strong international presence in the NBA. I believe we have 15 guys in the NBA now and that's unbelievable. This country is growing super fast and Canada basketball is getting better every year." 


(Image via Getty Images) 

Toronto might be where Joseph grew up, but it doesn't mean that it didn't take a little time for him to settle in and get adjusted to his "new" surrounding when he joined the Raptors. 


(Image via Getty Images)

Now, with a full season in Toronto under his belt, Joseph is really starting to step up his game in terms of being a face for Canadian basketball any way he can. 



"I had a blast. I was on top of one skyscraper shooting to the next. I was over Adelaide Street and the basket was on top of the next building, 27 stories high. I actually made the shot, no camera tricks, no Photoshop, I actually did that," chuckled Joseph, "and while I was doing it they captured me with the LG G5 wide camera lens, which is wider than the human field of vision." 

Joseph already accomplished his first two dreams, he made the NBA and won an NBA championship. Now, he hopes to accomplish his next goal sooner rather than later. 

"The next one is hitting the game-winning shot for the Raptors. Literally, in the driveway dreaming of that shot as a kid, counting down that moment with my brother, '3,2,1, he shoots, he scores, game is over,' so I hold that close to me too."