When the Knicks traded RJ Barrett to the Raptors, it was a homecoming for the young star. Barrett was born in Toronto and represents Canada in international competitions. Seeing him suit up for the only Canadian NBA franchise just made sense.
Barrett followed the Raptors when he was growing up. So, the Raptors’ Fan Day, which allows kids to be around the team in an open practice session, was a big moment for him. Besides expressing how important the day was to him, Barrett also named his favorite obscure Raptors players from when he was a kid: Sonny Weems and Amir Johnson.
RJ Barrett names Sonny Weems (!) and Amir Johnson (!!!) as his favorite deep-cut Raptors players when he was growing up pic.twitter.com/ATt0NVxw49
— William Lou (@william_lou) March 16, 2026
Both answers got fans on social media excited, calling Barrett “one of us” and “a real Raptors fan.” That’s the kind of connection you want your fans to feel with one of your stars.
Sonny Weems and Amir Johnson both came to Toronto in the same trade
Weems and Johnson both started their stint with the Raptors in the 2009-10 season when the Milwaukee Bucks traded them to Toronto in exchange for Carlos Deflino and Roko Ukić.
Johnson, who had been a second-round pick in 2005, played six seasons with the Raptors and 11 playoff games. He played some of the best basketball of his career in a Raptors uniform and quickly became a fan favorite in Toronto.
In the 2013-14 season, he averaged a career-high 10.4 points per game alongside 6.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.1 blocks. He was one of five double-digit scorers for the Raptors that season (not counting Rudy Gay, who only played 18 games), trailing DeMar DeRozan, Kyle Lowry, Jonas Valanciunas, and Terrence Ross. In the playoffs, Johnson emerged as the Raptors’ third-leading scorer, averaging 11 points, 6 rebounds, and 1 assist over a seven-game series against the Brooklyn Nets.
Sonny Weems didn’t stay in Toronto for quite as long. He played the 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons with the Raptors as a reserve. It was his first taste of meaningful NBA minutes, as the Raptors could afford him opportunities the Nuggets didn’t have.
In his second season with the team, he averaged a career-high 9.2 points, as well as 2.6 rebounds and 1.8 assists. Nevertheless, the Raptors didn’t pick up his team option for the next season. That decision and the lockout made Weems’ future in the NBA seem perilously uncertain, so, like many players, he signed a contract in Europe. After successful seasons in Lithuania and Russia, he eventually made his return to the NBA in the 2015-16 season, playing for the Suns and 76ers.