Diar DeRozan, the 9-year-old daughter of Chicago Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan whose screeching was instrumental in the victory of her father's team over the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night in the NBA playoffs, will be benched for Friday night's game against the Miami Heat.
Diar became the hero of Chicago's comeback victory at Toronto, making ear-piercing screams every time a Raptors player attempted a free throw. Toronto made just 18 of 36 free throws during the game, its worst performance of the season, in a 109-105 loss.
CNN reported DeMar DeRozan said his daughter got a day off from school Wednesday to attend the game in the city where she was born and where he played from 2009 to 2018. But he said she would not be making the trip to Miami in a game where the winner advances to play the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
DeMar DeRozan told reporters at the Friday morning shootaround in Miami that his daughter was back in Chicago.
"She has school today, I just spoke to her this morning on the way to school," DeRozan said, according to NBC Sports. "No, she will not be here. She's ruled out."
United Airlines, which is based in Chicago and owns the naming rights to the Bulls' home arena, even offered to pay for Diar's flight to Maimi.
"The flight's on us. What do you say, @DeMar_DeRozan?" the airline tweeted Thursday. "We'd love to take Diar's talents to South Beach."
According to a tweet Friday from Jamal Collier, who covers the NBA for ESPN, the Heat playfully trolled Diar DeRozan by putting yellow tape over two courtside seats. The Heat's mascot, Burnie, held a sign that read: "NO SCREAMING." The NBA’s Fan Code of Conduct does not prohibit screaming while a player attempts a free throw.
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