Toronto Raptors: The faces in the background of this unique season

As of March 19th, the Toronto Raptors will begin welcoming a limited number of fans back to their home games at Amalie Arena in Tampa Bay. While playing to a couple thousand mask-wearing Floridians in Tampa hardly counts as ‘business as usual’ for the Raptors, it might end the strangeness of plying their trade in an arena devoid of any kind of fan presence.

What the fan-less era has done, however, is place a greater focus on the staffers within the Raptors’ circle who remain visible, if only in the background. As all eyes are focused on the court, these individuals are fulfilling their roles in less heralded ways behind the scenes.

If the players’ and coaches’ primary contributions come within the 48 minutes of game time, other team staff ensure that every other facet of the club’s operations, from health and fitness to security to broadcast to media demands, are met the rest of the time.

So, who are these folks? Surely the keen-eyed viewers among you have noticed certain staff members who have gotten some camera time this season, albeit in a background role. Let’s take a closer look at some of these staffers and what their role is within the broader operation of the Raptors.

Meet the faces behind the Toronto Raptors

John Altilia, Team Security Director

Likely the most visible among the group is John Altilia, who not only carries a large frame, but must be the first on the scene in the event of an on-court skirmish, an ejection and even during reviews. The former Toronto Police detective constable has spent the past decade in the role after assisting the organization in a voluntary capacity after his police career was winding down.

Altilia’s job has always been a unique one, but has only been made more so in recent years. There was the championship and subsequent parade in 2019, the Disney bubble in 2020 and now a ‘home away from home’ experience in Tampa. When he isn’t keeping the Raptors players and coaches safe and unimpeded, Altilia has become the go-to golf partner of links fanatic Kyle Lowry.

Scott McCullough, Head Athletic Therapist

Scott McCullough actually got his start as part of the therapy staff of Canada’s other NBA franchise, but he joined Toronto a few years after following the Vancouver Grizzlies’ relocation to Memphis.

On a hard-nosed, veteran team that has waged some physical battles, McCullough – and, by extension, Vice-President of Player Health and Performance Alex McKechnie – are invaluable. It is because of them and their team that players like Lowry and Fred VanVleet can log huge minutes, not to mention playing physical and taking charges.

Jennifer Quinn, Communications Director

Even during the years when the Toronto Raptors were seen as something of an outpost league-wide, their PR staff under Jim LaBumbard was consistently recognized as being among the NBA’s best. LaBumbard left for a job in the league offices in 2017, with long-time Toronto Star reporter Jennifer Quinn stepping in.

Under Quinn, the PR team has chugged along without missing a beat. As with every other department for the club, they have navigated new ground through the uniqueness of the past few seasons. As for Quinn, you will typically see her in the immediate aftermath of a game corralling the team’s top scorer for a TV or radio interview as the guys retreat to the locker room.

Jeff Rocchi, Open Gym Producer

What is normally a busy camera bay near the base of each basket now features a mere handful of photographers and videographers positioned further away, both as a distancing measure and because they aren’t obstructed by courtside fans. In that sense, Jeff Rocchi stands out.

The Open Gym producer has provided viewers with a window into the Raptors’ team dynamic, as well as a multi-layered glimpse into their lives as athletes but also as people. Still, the camera has rarely been turned towards him. Chances are, though, if you’ve watched enough games, you’ve probably seen Rocchi, almost always in a toque and with a beard popping through his mask, behind the net on the Raptor end of the court.

Jon Lee, Strength and Conditioning Coach

Last summer, Jon Lee was one of the Raptors’ unsung heroes of the Disney bubble. While the team was kept in closed quarters at the Ritz-Carlton in Naples, Florida, it was Lee who served as the unofficial activities coordinator. The former BC teacher planned poker nights, pool games and even an all-in-one Olympics night, helping the club’s players and coaches pass the time.

Still, he isn’t about to quit his day job. Leading the strength and conditioning team along with massage therapist and day one employee Ray Chow, Lee can often be spotted providing players with treatment in-game and being one of the more vocal team supporters on the sidelines.