DeMar DeRozan’s Daughter, Diar, Becomes Bulls’ Play-In MVP After Screaming Through Raptors’ Free Throw Attempts

Diar DeRozan, daughter of Chicago Bulls’ guard DeMar DeRozan, is trending on social media after her shrieks from the stands went viral and quite possibly helped the Bulls defeat the Toronto Raptors 109-105 in an Eastern Conference elimination game on Wednesday night. Watch the clips of the nine-year-old cheering her dad on inside…

Move over NBA players, there’s a new MVP in town! And she’s only 9 years old!

That’s right, it wasn’t any of the Chicago Bulls’ star players like Zach LaVine, Nicola Vucevic, or DeMar DeRozan who stole the show on Wednesday night. It was none other than DeRozan’s daughter, Diar DeRozan, whose high-pitched screams caused some of the best free throw defense in NBA history! Who knew a little girl could have such a big impact on the game? We love to see it.

Diar’s screams would come when the Raptors, her dad’s former team, were shooting free throws, and they were so loud that they even became a topic of discussion during the ESPN broadcast of the game. The Raptors finished a disastrous 18 of 36 from the line in their season-ending loss.

The Raptors, who had a regular season free throw percentage of 78.4%, struggled and only made 50% (18 of 36) of their shots from the line during last night’s game. This proved to be a critical factor in the outcome, as the Raptors squandered a 19-point lead in the third quarter. Womp.

The screams not only threw off the Raptors but also surprised viewers during the first half. Social media users began speculating that the girl was DeRozan’s daughter before ESPN confirmed in the third quarter that it was indeed Diar.

Watch the viral clips below:

”I kept hearing something during the game during free throws,” Bulls guard DeMar DeRozan said after the game. “I looked back like … dang, that’s my daughter screaming.”

According to DeMar, it was Diar who came up with the idea to attend the game, and he initially almost said no because she’s still in school back home.

“My daughter called me the other day when she was getting out of school and she just said, ‘Dad, can I come to the Toronto game?'” DeMar said during a post-game press conference. “I remember her going to all the Toronto games when she was a kid and I almost said no because she’s in school back home. But she kept asking. She was just adamant about coming to support, and I said, ‘All right, you can miss one day of school and come to a game.'”

Daddy DeRozan confessed that he’s glad he agreed, saying, “I owe her some money for sure.” And he better run lil mama all her coins! 

Watch his post-game interview below:

Kiara Morrison, DeMar’s wife and Diar’s mom, took to social media to celebrate her baby girl helping her hubby and his team to clinch the victory:

Diar’s cunning strategy was an absolute game-changer, sealing the fate of both teams in a thrilling 109-105 victory for the Bulls. With their season on the line, Chicago emerged victorious, while simultaneously crushing the playoff dreams of the Raptors.

As for Diar’s future attendance plans, it seems that she won’t be joining her dad on the road to Miami. When asked if she would be going to support the Bulls in their next game, DeMar simply replied, “No. She’s got to go back to school.” Ha! Balance.

 

 

Whether or not Diar will be back in the stands again, one thing is for sure: she’s become the unsung hero of the Bulls’ play-in victory, and her ear-splitting screams will go down in history as the ones that actually shook the Raptors.

Photos: AP Photo/Morry Gash