Former Raptors forward Thaddeus Young is facing backlash for his candid remarks about life in Toronto during his time with the team.
Young, who appeared on Wednesday’s episode of the “Out The Mud” podcast, hosted by his former Memphis Grizzlies teammates Tony Allen and Zach Randolph, didn’t hold back when asked about his experience North of the border.
“Being in Toronto is kind of tough”, Young admitted. “It’s cool to visit, be there for four to five days, that’s cool. But to live there? Yeah, it’s tough … it’s almost like you in a disadvantage.”
Signed to a two-year, $16-million contract with the Raptors, Young played 103 games between 2022 and 2024, averaging five points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.7 assists during his stint in Toronto.
On the podcast, Young recalled his wife joking that after re-signing with the team, he might be heading to Toronto alone while the rest of his family stayed in the U.S. He added that the move had been especially hard on his son.
Young also complained about the chilly weather and vented his frustrations over navigating customs and issues at the border — from long waits to paying extra for their luggage.
The comments on Toronto didn’t sit well with Raptors fans, sparking a wave of criticism online.
“These are some of the most entitled things I’ve ever heard. Take all his money away and he’d resign back in Toronto tomorrow. Pathetic,” a user on Instagram commented.
“Funny clip, the way he played in Toronto — he should thank the Raptors for the free money and for keeping him in the NBA,” another user said.
“Sounds like rich people problems really. You get an opportunity to make millions as a (at the time) below average player. There’s people travelling the border regularly making a much more modest income with a smile as they gain experiences, meet new people while providing for their family. Just sounds lame to me… but to each their own I guess,” another user commented.
“Classless! While people struggle this guy was inconvenienced by customs,” a user said.
Others, however, defended Young’s comments, pointing out that adjusting to life in a new city — especially with family — isn’t always easy.
“Yall need to chill out. Thad ain’t said nothing disrespectful about the city or country. He’s just saying that it was hard on his family to live there… he ended up resigning another year anyway so yall need stop. This is coming from a Raptors fan too,” a user said on Instagram.
“Where did he diss toronto? What’s with the inferiority complex in here lol. I’m confident enough in Toronto as a world class city that it truly doesn’t bother me one bit if someone doesn’t like living up here but made it clear he enjoys visiting,” a user commented on Reddit.
“Completely understandable. Not everyone is going to enjoy living in Toronto. Same way not everyone is going to enjoy living in New York, Paris, London,” another user on Reddit said.
