The scream heard around the arena.
The Chicago Bulls have an unlikely MVP for Wednesday night’s play-in game against the Toronto Raptors, and she’s only 9-years-old. Star player, DeMar DeRozan’s daughter, Diar, gave it her all to ensure her dad’s team won the game by screaming at the top of her lungs every time the Raptors were at the free throw line. And boy, did it work with the Bulls winning 109-105.
Diar DeRozan Is The MVP Of Wednesday Night’s Bulls Vs. Raptors Game
Every time one of the Raptors’ players went to the free throw line, a very calculated Diar let out a blood-curdling scream to distract the player from making the shot, and it worked!
She screamed 36 times, and they missed 18 free throws, the team’s most missed free throws in any game since February 1997, according to ESPN.
Every time a Raptors’ player gets to the line, a scream can be heard. Once it was determined that she was the person behind that scream, laughter erupted among the sportscasters. One sportscaster even said she’s “being very strategic about her screaming.”
During a postgame interview, the former Toronto player talked about Diar and her attendance at the game.
“My daughter called me the other day when she was getting out of school and she was just, you know, she said, ‘Dad can I come to the Toronto game?’” he said. She told him that she remembers going to all the Toronto games when she was younger.
“And I almost said no because she’s in school back home. She kept asking, she was just adamant about coming in support, and I just said you can miss one day of school and you know come to a game and I’m glad I did. I owe her some money for sure.”
DeRozan explained that he heard the screams but didn’t realize it was his daughter behind the mastermind yelling at first.
“She went viral. I haven’t let it soak in,” he told reporters. “I kept hearing something and there was a free throw and somebody missed and I looked back and, ‘Damn, that’s my daughter screaming?”
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The internet had a lot to say about Diar’s MVP performance on TikTok. In the comment section of the Bleacher Report‘s video, she was called the “defensive player of the game.”
“The kid came with a game plan and it worked,” one person wrote. Another added, “Bulls have to give her a contract.”
Another person pointed out that missing one day of school worked to the Bulls’ advantage. “One day missed and 18 free throws missed.”
ESPN also shared a video revealing who was behind the screaming during the game on TikTok. The video received more than 3 million views and 2,300 comments. See video HERE.
“Best defender on the Bulls tonight,” one fan wrote in the comment section. “She’s carrying the Bulls comeback,” said another.
DeMar DeRozan Said His Daughter Won’t Be Attending Friday’s Game
Despite her pivotal role in the Bulls winning the game and being labeled as the “DeMVP” of the game, DeRozan said Diar won’t be attending the next game in Florida on Friday night.
“She’s got to go back to school,” he said.
His team definitely doesn’t agree with his decision tweeting, “To Diar DeRozan’s teacher: may we kindly request Diar be excused from school on Friday.”
To Diar DeRozan’s teacher: may we kindly request Diar be excused from school on Friday 😅 pic.twitter.com/ZANywhzpqU
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) April 13, 2023
The Bulls will face the Heat on Friday night in Florida for the No.8 seed in the Eastern Conference and to play the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round of the playoffs.
