'He's a legend': How Raptors senior advisor Wayne Embry is helping shape team's success
Embry's career with the NBA spans nearly six decades
As Toronto Raptors fans revel in the wake of that electrifying win on Monday night, the team's senior advisor is reflecting on how far the franchise has come.
You may have spotted Wayne Embry, 79, on the sidelines watching intently as the team he's helped build continues to soar.
"That's the joy I get out of what I do," Embry told CBC Toronto. "Seeing the front office, the coaches, the players succeed. That's what drives me."
Embry brings the knowledge and wisdom gathered from a distinguished NBA playing career that began in the late 1950s, and then a steady rise through the ranks as a team executive that started in the early 1970s, to this young Toronto team.
All that came to a head on Monday night, when the Raptors played their most dramatic game of the post-season run, fighting to even up the NBA Eastern Conference final with a 105-99 victory over Cleveland at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto.
'He's a legend'
Point guard Kyle Lowry scored 35 points, with shooting guard DeMar DeRozan adding 32. Both players credit Embry for much of the team's success.
"He's a legend," Lowry said. "He's a good positive vibe guy. You know, he doesn't say much at all. We just know he's there and supporting us."
Embry helped keep Lowry's spirits high earlier in the playoffs, when the all-star was struggling to find his shot.
"After one game I made reference to Villanova, his alma mater, which won the NCAA championship," Embry said. "I said something, like, in passing, 'Come on Kyle, you're from Villanova man. You guys are champions.'"
DeRozan added to the accolades, saying, "When you have knowledge like that around ... that's been around the game for much longer than you've been on this earth... you know you can learn something every single day."
Embry says it's true, he's seen a lot in his days. His career in the NBA spans nearly six decades as a player and front office executive.
'The Wall'
"I started in Cincinnati before most people were born... it was many, many years ago," Embry said.
Embry was known as "The Wall" during his playing days, standing at 6-foot-8 and weighing in at 240 pounds. His career kicked off in 1958 with the Cincinnati Royals — the team that eventually became the present-day Sacramento Kings — and he went on to play eight seasons there, the last four as team captain.
He joined the Boston Celtics in 1966 and helped that legendary team capture the 1968 NBA championship. He ended his playing career the next year as the first captain in the history of the expansion Milwaukee Bucks.
As his playing days came to an end, Embry made his move into the front office with the Bucks, breaking barriers as the first African American to become a general manager of an NBA team.
He also has his own history with the Raptors' present playoff rivals, the Cavaliers. Embry served as vice-president and general manager of the team from 1985 to 1992, before moving into an executive vice-president position with the club until 1994.
That year, Embry made history once again, becoming the first African American NBA team president, heading up the Cavs.
He moved to Toronto to work as a consultant, joining the Raptors franchise in June of 2004 as a senior advisor.
"Rob Babcock was named general manager of Toronto and they thought they needed some guidance or someone with experience," Embry said.
"I've been here 12 years, believe it or not... It seems like just yesterday that I came and I've enjoyed every bit of it."
Solidifying success
From the day he arrived in the city, Embry said his goal was clear.
"I'm committed to the hard work to build what needs to be built and that's of course a championship team," Embry said.
Embry has played a big part in taking a shaky franchise that's seen a lot of turmoil and turning it into a solid NBA organization, including helping bring in general manager Masai Ujiri and coach Dwane Casey.
Embry also made sure the team didn't lose hope after losing the first two games against Cleveland in the post-season, even though much of the basketball world counted the team out.
"First team to four," Embry said. "Still gotta win four games. No matter how you get there, you still gotta win four games."