Kawhi's return has Raptors fans reminiscing as new season begins

Toronto Raptors fans don't need much help recalling where they were during the team's championship run. 

But for Sheena Lalani-Jennings, June 13, 2019 — the day the Raptors beat the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals — is especially significant. 

“We were in downtown Kitchener in the square, and we had just gotten married at Guelph City Hall,” remembers Lalani-Jennings.

After tying the knot, she and her new husband managed to catch the final six minutes of the game at the downtown hotel where they were staying before joining the celebrations in the street.

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“I had a white jumpsuit on. My husband had a full tuxedo on, almost,” she remembered. “It was almost like this massive wedding reception that we had just walked into.” 

Now, as the new Toronto Raptors season begins on Wednesday, Lalani-Jennings and her husband Ross will be among the thousands of Raptors fans clutching both nostalgia and hope, in large part thanks to the return of star player Kawhi Leonard. 

Leonard’s last stint with the team brought Toronto its first-ever championship, spreading Raptors fever to cities across the country, packing an estimated 1 million people downtown for a victory parade and leading to countless tributes on T-shirts, murals, and tattoos. 

“We're excited to see what this season holds with Kawhi being back,” said Lalani-Jennings. “We’re just really hopeful.” 

Leonard has already signed a two-year, $115-million US contract extension, wedding him to the team for the next three seasons. 

Last month, he made his pre-season debut with the Raptors, drawing massive cheers as he helped his teammates flatten the New York Knicks. 

“The Raptors have a great