Cory Joseph was born on August 20, 1991 in Toronto, Canada with basketball in his DNA. Cory is the youngest of four children. He has two older sisters, Chantal and Danielle, and an older brother Devoe. His parents, David and Connie Joseph, both played, coached, and refereed basketball at various levels. “I come from a basketball family, so that is where my love of basketball came from.”

The game was always around the house. Family members could see Cory’s love of the game and determination at a young age. He practiced basketball whenever he could. After school, Cory would be found playing basketball on the driveway with Devoe until dark – no matter the weather. The brothers always challenged each other to be the best they could be.

The brothers would practice in the heat, the pouring rain, and the snow. During the cold winter months, they would shovel the driveway and play with gloves on. “Cory worked hard,” said Cory’s father, David. “Basketball was his life. He loved the game as a baby.”

Cory was introduced to basketball almost immediately after birth. His parents stopped by a friend’s championship game on their way home from the hospital. That was the day his grandfather, Sylbert Joseph, was convinced Cory is destined for a career in the NBA!

Cory Joseph grew up in a suburb of Toronto, Canada and went to Pickering High School for two years. He excelled in many sports and academics, but basketball was always his passion. “He knew he had to do well to make it to the NCAA. And so he concentrated. Typical Cory,” said his former teacher Kerry Ashley.

Cory joined the basketball team with his brother Devoe, and the coaches were extremely impressed with his skills on the court. “He was able to show that he was one of the top players at the high school level,” said former head coach Ron Parfitt. “He was a natural.” Together, the Joseph brothers led the school to back-to-back Ontario championships in 2007 and 2008.

At age 17, Cory left his home in Canada to chase his dreams of playing in the NBA. For his last two years of high school, Cory enrolled at Findlay Prep in Las Vegas, Nevada. “It was the best thing for him,” said his mother, Connie Joseph.

In his two seasons with Findlay, the team won consecutive national invitational tournaments in 2009 and 2010 and Cory was named a McDonald’s All-American in his senior year.

Cory earned national recognition at Findlay Prep, attracting a lot of attention from several NCAA Division I schools.

Cory Joseph chose to play basketball at the University of Texas during the 2010-11 season, and the Texas Longhorns were excited to have him on the team.

“Not only is Cory a very good basketball player, he is an excellent person with a truly wonderful family,” said his Longhorns coach Rick Barnes.

The Texas Longhorns lost two point guards in 2010 and Cory saw an opportunity to make an impact. “My goal is to go in there and hopefully be an impact player,” Cory told ESPN in 2010. “I want to get better every day and be fully committed to the team and basketball.”

His first and only season with the Longhorns was an excellent year for Cory. He started all 36 games and averaged 10.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 3 steals per game. With those impressive stats, he was named to the Big 12 All-Rookie Team and was a Big 12 Honorable Mention.

The Texas Longhorns lost to Arizona in the third round of the NCAA Tournament that year, but Cory Joseph’s performance on the court did not go unnoticed.

After the season ended, Cory was selected in the first round of the 2011 NBA draft.

With the 29th overall pick in the first round of the 2011 NBA Draft, the San Antonio Spurs selected point guard Cory Joseph.

During his four seasons with the Spurs, Cory split his time between the NBA court and their D-League affiliate in Austin. Cory saw his D-League assignments as an opportunity to tighten his game and expand his basketball skills. “I needed to play,” Cory said. “Everyone there helped me be the player I am today.”

Cory filled in for Tony Parker as the Spurs starting point guard in late February 2013. “I was able to step in with confidence and do my thing,” Cory said. He helped the team reach the 2013 NBA Finals, but they lost to the Miami Heat in game 7.

The 2014-15 NBA season was a big year for Cory Joseph. He emerged as one of the team’s breakout performers and he quickly became a fan favourite in San Antonio. Cory helped the Spurs defeat the Miami Heat in Game 5 of the 2014 NBA Championships, earning an NBA Championship Ring.

“To have won it so early in my career is a blessing. I am definitely honoured. Words can’t explain how I feel,” said Cory after the win. “We’re a basketball family and we always dreamed about it together. To actually do it, it is a proud moment for me and my family.”

At the end of the season, his four-year contract with the San Antonio Spurs ended and Cory became a free agent.

July 9, 2015. This was a special day in Cory Joseph’s NBA career.

Growing up, Cory was a Toronto Raptors fan and followed the team since their inaugural year in 1995. When the Raptors signed the Toronto native to a multi-year contract, it was dream come true for Cory Joseph. The basketball star was coming home.

“There is no place like home! It is literally a dream come true. As a young kid, I imagined this moment playing for not only an NBA team, but for the Toronto Raptors,” Cory said about the Raptor draft.

Fans in the Air Canada Centre celebrated the first time Cory walked into the court wearing a Raptors jersey. “To be able to go out there and represent the city, represent the country. It was a proud moment for me,” Cory said.

Cory was the second Canadian to play for the Toronto team. While he was signed as a backup point guard, he played a more varied range of roles than any other player. “What’s a position nowadays, you know? I prepare for all of it,” Cory said.

Even though Cory only played with the Raptors for two seasons, teammates thought of him as the heart and soul of the team. “Off the court he’s one of the coolest, calmest, collected, smartest individuals I ever met, and even more as a teammate. He always kept the mood clean,” said Raptor player DeMar DeRozan. “I love him”

Cory was traded to Indiana July 2017. While he loved playing for the team he grew up cheering for and they loved to have him, he was very excited to start the next chapter of his NBA career.

“I had a great time, during my two years,” Cory said. “When I was a kid, I dreamed of playing for my hometown. I got to do it. I was happy about it. And in those two years we made franchise history in the playoffs, wins in the season, and I was a part of that, so I’m thankful for that. ”

Cory Joseph always accepts the opportunity to represent his country. After the NBA basketball season comes to an end, he is back on the court playing for Canada’s National Team, proudly wearing red and white.

“It’s who he is. He loves playing basketball,” said Jay Triano, Cory’s longtime head coach with the national team. “He wants to be that guy in the locker room, talking about how great it is to play for his country, so he answers the bell every single time.”

Cory has been representing Canada for almost a decade. He played on Canada’s junior men’s national team twice, and made his debut with the senior men’s national team in the summer of 2011. He is always looking to improve his game, so Cory rarely takes the summers to relax.

“I always thought, what better opportunity are you going to get to work on your game and to go out there and play against this type of competition? That’s the way I look at it.”

Cory was named captain of the national team in the summer of 2015, and he started helping other talented Canadians improve their skills on the court. “Being able to play against Cory every day, learn from him is a great opportunity,” said teammate Tyler Innis.

Cory is proud to play for his country and will continue to represent Canada on the world stage.

New team, new colours, new nickname, same Cory Joe.

The Toronto Raptors traded Cory to Indiana during the 2017 off season and the Pacers were excited to get a player like Cory.

The Pacers needed to rebuild and wanted to create a team of young, talented players who can develop, build chemistry and win together for a long road of success in the future. Coaches and management thought Cory would fit in perfectly.

“We’re very pleased with Cory. He’s always been a guy I’ve liked since he was playing in San Antonio,” says Pacers head coach Nate McMillan. “To have the opportunity to work with him has really been a pleasure.”

During his time with the Pacers, Cory tweaked his hand position, to make sure he was getting better control under the ball and put in the work after practice to perfect the shot. “I think he feels good about the work he’s put in to develop that shot,” said Nate.

His confidence in his shooting and his performance on the court jumped to the point where he’s given himself a new nickname.

“He’s calls himself a laser now,” says Nate. “He’s confident shooting the ball, he’s not running from it and when he has it he’s taking it and he’s knocking down that shot.”

Joining the Pacers was the best scenario for Cory’s NBA career. “This is a good chance for me, opportunity-wise. I’m in a different situation than I’ve been in my past because I’m playing a lot of everything … so I’m in a good situation to excel,” says Cory. “I’m happy. Hopefully sky’s the limit.”