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TORONTO - At the ripe old age of 26, Amir Johnson - the teams second-most experienced player - is one of only two Raptors starters that can give a firsthand account of what it will be like to compete in the postseason. "All he says is, its crazy," DeMar DeRozan told reporters following Torontos win over the Pistons Wednesday. The Raptors longest-serving members, Johnson and DeRozan have had two coaches and 56 different teammates in five seasons with the club, all without appearing in a single playoff game. Before becoming a fixture in Toronto, Johnson logged 56 minutes in 11 postseason contests spanning over two seasons with the Pistons. At the time, the forward was primarily a spectator, mentored by the likes of Rasheed Wallace, Chauncey Billups, Richard Hamilton and Antonio McDyess. Johnson is a man of few words but hes shared a couple with DeRozan, who is poised to make his playoff debut next month. "Amir says one word and you really just have to go off that one word, how he explains something," said the Raptors all-star guard. "Everything is crazy to him. So, he always says its crazy." "Its crazy, D," Johnson interjected from his locker on the far side of the room. "See, so its crazy," DeRozan continued. "Playoffs are going to be crazy." Up until this season, DeRozan and Johnson had endured 190 losses to just 119 wins in Raptors red. They havent played in a meaningful late-season game since their first year with the team, Chris Boshs last. Their bond is a unique one, as you might expect, having experienced the trials and tribulations of the Raptors four-year playoff drought together. "Thats my dog, man," DeRozan said of Johnson, both hail from the state of California. "Amirs known me [since] I was running around with the same pair of dirty shoes on playing basketball. We always used to look up to Amir, especially in LA. He was a big star and everything. Its definitely cool just to be here with him." "People dont know, Amirs my cousin," he said with a smirk, jokingly, we think. "You can ask Amir." So we did. "Oh man, I dont know," he responded, this was news to him. "I have no idea. Somewhere down the line, I guess. I guess were cousins, I dont know. Ive got to talk to his mom, talk to my mom and see." DeRozan, the Raptors leading scorer, is enjoying a career year but the playoffs - as coach Dwane Casey has cautioned - are a different animal. The atmosphere is intensified, the competition more fierce, scoring opportunities are harder to come by, weaknesses are magnified and in a seven-game series the oppositions scouting report will undoubtedly feature DeRozan. Theres been a steep playoff learning curve for Raptors stars of the past. Bosh, Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady each shot under 40 per cent from the field in their first postseason series. Making his playoff debut as a 23-year-old in 2000, Carter shot just 30 per cent, turning the ball over nearly three times per contest in a three-game sweep to the Knicks. Even with that in mind, DeRozan believes hes more prepared than most. While many players on losing teams find it far too maddening to watch their peers compete for a title in April and May, the Raptors guard has done just that each year hes missed out, making notes and using them for motivation. "I had to [watch]," he admitted, "just to understand, to see how it was. Youre playing the same team, possibly seven times. Just to understand that and see the different schemes out there and try to really get a knowledge of how its played." "Thats why I work so hard. It always bugged me going home early, just sitting there, doing nothing. It used to make me so hungry. Ive got a lot of friends that play in the playoffs and Ive always got to hear them all summer talk about their experience in the playoffs. 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Getzlaf scored the first two goals in the second, and Teemu Selanne scored the go-ahead goal late in the period as the Anaheim Ducks beat the Nashville Predators 4-3 Thursday night.So you were in college for four years and managed to maintain a 3.7 GPA. This is a draft known for its large amount of one-and-done players, how important was it to you to stay all four seasons?It was key for me. I mean it was an opportunity for me to get better, to get a degree and to do everything I wanted to do, I wanted to go to college. So I was able to just improve over those four years, clearly show that Ive been able to get better, work hard, the determination that I have as well to do something really good and get a degree as well as a number of academic accolades. So it was key for me. It taught me a lot of maturity, a lot of commitment and dedication. So I think that one-and-dones are not for everyone and if its not for you definitely take the time to stay in school and get a degree, it will help you in the long run. Was it ever difficult to balance basketball and school at the same time?Yeah, I mean a lot of the time when you have papers, homework, anything thats due, youve got to develop some good time management skills and thats something I think I really valued and really got out from college, being able to be good at time management skills, being able to prioritize and being able to put things in perspective that were most important. And for me that was at the time school and now its basketball. So now I think that its taught me a lot, but there are definitely times where its hard, definitely times after games and workouts where Im drained and I have to come back and do papers and homework and stuff like that. But ultimately it all works out and for me it was something that worked out for the best. When youre in the states, what is the one thing you miss most about Canada?(Image via Lays)Everything. I just miss being by family, I miss just being home. I also miss Tim Hortons [laughs], fuzzy peaches, ketchup chips, Ruffles all-dressed chips, just little things you wouldnt think about.Youve been posting the hash tag #DraftDreams. What does that mean to you? Charlotte was fun! On to the next! One step away! #DraftDreams — Melvin Ejim (@MelvinEjim) May 30, 2014Its important. Everything Im doing right now is for the drafts for the NBA and, you know, I just want to get people, especially on social media a way that they can follow me, a way that they can interact and feel like theyre coming along for the ride as well. So its definitely a cool thing to be a part of. But everything Im doing now is exactly what it means; its a draft dream. Im working as hard as I can to make that dream come true and that draft on the 26th is what everyone right now is working towards. So its important. Its just a way for fans and people to give support and interact with me on a social media network. So which players did you grow up idolizing?I really like Hakeem Olajuwon.(Image via Sports Illustrated) He was Nigerian. I really liked his game and even when I was in college playing the four, I thought he was someone who I could look up to for skill work; I mean hes trained a lot great players like Kobe, and guys who are smaller. I also liked watching Reggie Miller; he was a competitor. And obviously Steve Nash, being a Canadian, being someone who cares so much about Canada, those are three guys I grew up idolizing.Steve Nash said before that you were underrated by NBA scouts on Twitter, what did it feel like to get that compliment from Steve? @M3llyM3I wayyyy underrated by NBA scouts. RT @YungBoiMayes: Yo Melvin had 48pts and 18 Rebss!!!!!!!!!!! — Steve Nash (@SteveNash) February 8, 2014It was cool. Anytime that you are going underrated and people are starting to pick up on what youre doing, especially someone as renowned as Steve Nash who definitely knows the game and understands what it means to be a good player, for him to go out and say something on a social network , especially when he doesnt have to, that was a pretty cool feeeling.dddddddddddd Whenever you have someone like Steve Nash, who interacts with players and kids in colleges, to help you out and to be willing to be involved in your career, its great and its going to help you and its going to help basketball in Canada.Were you a big Raptors fan growing up?Yeah, I liked the Raptors because they were the only team we had. I wasnt watching any other sports or teams. Just watching them grow and develop, like through the Vince Carter years, and watching them really become a good team. Like this year, when people considered them not to have a good year, they were really able to overachieve. Thats great, and it shows perseverance. Theyve been able to a great job. You excited to workout with them tomorrow?Yeah. Anytime you can back home and work out for hometown team, youre always excited. You have the opportunity to work out for the team in your own backyard. Watching Vince Carter play, and watching those games, I never would have thought Id have the opportunity to play for them and to have the opportunity to work out for them and meet the people; its great, its refreshing. Its a gratifying opportunity. Did you play any other sports growing up?Yeah I use to play soccer, track and field and volleyball in high school. I played those competitively until tenth grade when I exclusively started playing basketball. Why did basketball stick out?(Image via Ames Tribune) It was just something I continued to get better at. When I went to school in the United States when I was 15 I was going there on a basketball scholarship and I didnt want to mess it up. Luckily, the school there didnt really offer any other sports I wanted to play so there was a chance for me to dedicate myself as a player.What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you? I have 11 siblings, I guess thats pretty surprising, not all with the same mother and father, but Im the oldest. I think when people see the things that I do and a lot of the academic stuff is something I try to preach because Im the oldest and I have brothers and sisters who look up to be and I want to set the best example that I can for them. My family and my siblings are the reason I go out and do what I do, Im trying to be the best role model I can be and guide them in the right direction.Whats your best basketball memory so far?I think obviously one of my best memories is the 48/18 game and that whole incredible experience.You know, the tournament runs, the last three years Ive had a great experience with a brand new group of guys and each team and each person has a special spot in my memory for the relationships and the things weve done together. When you get on an NBA court, is there going to be one guy youre playing against and just think "holy crap," Im playing against this guy?Right now, LeBron, Kobe and Kevin Durant and than there is guys like Paul Pierce, guys you would grow up watching whos a great player. I think Ill definitely have that moment but youve got to snap out of it quickly because youre going to be guarding and playing and playing against them, and you dont want to stand there with your mouth open. You have an admiration for these guys, but you got to shake it quick because now youre on the same page as these guys. I think that it may happen with a lot of people, but its only natural. So lets say you sign that NBA contract, whats the first thing you go out and purchase? Im probably going to get something for my mom, but Im not really a big spender, Im probably going to invest most of my money and make it last. Im not thinking about buying a huge car or a big house, Ill probably get something for my mom and my family and than open up a saving account and invest my money. Thats really how you set yourself up in the future. Dont forget to check out BarDowns sit-down with fellow Canadian NBA draft prospect Tyler Ennis. 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