DeMar DeRozan, Toronto Raptors Star, Credits Master P and Romeo for Work Ethic

Long before Demar Derozan was a household name--well, in Toronto at least--the NBA star was experiencing the lavish lifestyle of a Hollywood celebrity on a regular basis. He starred on an AAU team sponsored by hip-hop mogul Percy "Master P" Miller and formed a close relationship with Miller's son, rapper/actor Romeo. When they went to the mall, they were basically attacked. When they hung out at Romeo's house, they drank super nice latte's (presumably). It was all a far cry from DeRozan's life back home in Compton, California. But Derozan credits the relationship, and his early experience with celebrity, as the reason he has the work ethic he has today.

"I got to see both worlds. You see that lifestyle early on and you realize, 'This is what it is?'" DeRozan said, via Yahoo! Sports. "I already had my mindset when I had nothing. It's cool to have all that, but it's all about the work and the grind to get to that."

Since his days romping around malls with Romeo, DeRozan has garnered some much deserved celebrity of his own, becoming an All Star for the Raptors. However, when he's not working on his craft, he enjoys the confines of his home away from all the attention, just spending time with his daughter.

"It's not what some people expect. They look at you, like, You're in the league. You've got all this. You're supposed to do this. You're supposed to do that," DeRozan said. "Keep it simple, nothing special. I'm just content with doing that. You know, the little things matter."

Things could get a little more complicated for DeRozan, however, as he is on the back end of a 4-year deal that he signed in 2012. He has a player option for the 2016-17 season for $9.5 million, but is expected to turn it down and seek out a more financially rewarding deal.

While he will most likely seek out another deal, that doesn't mean he plans on bolting out of Toronto like so many before him have. He's quite content where he is, in a place he can call home.

"Toronto is all I've known, honestly. I came in, 19, everything was completely new for me. I appreciated the support, the love," DeRozan said. "I treated it like home since then."