Cory Joseph and Tristan Thompson’s ‘brotherly love’ on hold for playoffs

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On opposing teams locked in the NBA's Eastern Conference final, Cory Joseph and Tristan Thompson aren't spending much time reminiscing about when they were stars together on Toronto's youth basketball scene and creating a lifelong friendship.

Thompson is a 6-foot-9 forward for the Cleveland Cavaliers, while his friend is the 6-foot reserve point guard for the Toronto Raptors. Entangled in a series that Cleveland leads 2-1, the two Canadians have ceased the friendly texts they'd usually send one another. Each is hunkered down with his own team, singularly focused on advancing to the NBA final. But there was a time when the two players were making one another better every day.

Joseph and Thompson began as rivals in youth club hoops, starring for the Scarborough Blues and the Brampton Blue Devils, respectively. By eighth grade, the speedy point guard and the physical big man became teammates on Grassroots Elite, Canada's first dominant AAU team.

"They hit it off right away and became a dynamic duo," said Ro Russell, who coached them with Grassroots Elite. "Cory got Tristan the ball to score; Tristan would set good screens for Cory and get him open. They created opportunities for each other and had terrific chemistry. Even though Cory came from the East and Tristan from the West, it worked. The Falstaff Community Centre in Toronto was a central point to meet and practise, and that's where they established a strong lasting friendship."

Russell remembers the boys often having grappling matches off the court – even taking on Russell. The wrestling was all in fun but also served to toughen them up and build their competitiveness.

"I remember one time when Tristan was really good at grappling, but not quite to the level where he could beat me yet," Russell said. "So Cory and Tristan formed a double team and got me real good. From a young age, they were like a tag team. If they saw one in a situation, the other was there to help – and that's how they became on the court, too."

By 10th grade, they both decided to go to U.S prep schools, where they could face tougher high school competition. Russell had seen Joseph lead Pickering High School to a provincial championship and watched Thompson develop into what the coach considered the best power forward his age in Canada.

Joseph headed to Findlay Prep in Henderson, Nev., and Thompson went to Saint Benedict's in Newark, N.J. After one season, Thompson transferred to join Joseph. They went on to win two U.S. national high school titles at Findlay Prep. Then they starred together at the University of Texas.

"Sort of like John Stockton and Karl Malone did, Cory and Tristan just made each other better," Russell said. "They shared similar goals and aspirations, and as two kids away from home, they really helped one another."

In 2011, they became the first two Canadians taken in the first round of the NBA draft in the same year. Last summer, both signed big free-agent contracts – Thompson a reported five-year deal worth some $82-million with Cleveland and Joseph with his hometown Raps for four years and a reported $30-million.

Joseph had won NBA championships as a reserve with the San Antonio Spurs, while Thompson lost in the final with Cleveland a year ago. Only one will reach this year's championship series.

Thompson's Cavs throttled the Raptors in the first two games, but on Saturday, Joseph exploded for 14 points in Toronto's Game 3 win – including a stunning buzzer-beating three-pointer to end the third quarter. He also got between Thompson and Raptors centre Bismack Biyombo when tensions ran high between the two big men.

"Me and Cory been together since we were young, and he's one of my really close friends, but right now he's the enemy," Thompson said. "There's not going to be much brotherly love. We have to go at it. I don't think I'll be texting Cory."

Joseph took it a step further.

"No communication at all," Joseph said. "I don't even know who Tristan is at this point."