Being a sports fans is all about rooting for the underdog and Jamario Moon is your prototypical underdog.

Moon is in Raptors training camp as the only player without a guaranteed contract and has a shot at beating out Darrick Martin, Luke Jackson or Joey Graham for a roster spot. But before Moon can finally call Toronto home he'll need to knock the socks off the Raptors front office as all three of those players have guaranteed deals.

Fighting an uphill battle is nothing new for this well travelled athletic marvel who has learned there are no guarantees in life

Coming out of high school he was regarded as one of the top prep players in America but academic struggles led to eligibility issues and Moon landed at a small community college. After a year of playing at Meridian Community College the talented forward declared for the NBA Draft. Despite a strong showing at the pre-draft camp his dreams of getting drafted fizzled and Moon has been jumping between minor league teams ever since.

After zig zagging across the country and playing in small towns like Gary, Indiana to Albany, New York and Monterrey, Mexico this basketball vagabond now hopes he's reached his final destination.

"I promise you I'm here to stay here," an exuberant Moon said last Friday during Media Day. "I'll do whatever Coach Mitchell wants me to do. Coach Mitchell wants me to be the defensive stopper so that's what I'm going to come in and focus on."

That's music to Sam Mitchell's ears as last season the team had a plethora of wing players that were talented scorers but who often appeared to be allergic to playing perimeter defense. In Moon, Mitchell may have found a player whose versatility and range makes him a double-threat and the perfect fit to round out the roster.

Regardless of how the next few weeks unfold Moon is relishing his time with a NBA team.

"It's heaven for me right now," Moon told HOOPSWORLD. "I feel like I could die and I've accomplished everything I've wanted to accomplish so far."

Don't get it twisted - that doesn't mean the wiry forward is content with simply making it to Raptors training camp.  It's just that Moon has become enamoured with the city of Toronto and his new teammates in the brief time he's been in here.

It didn't take long for Moon to fall in love with a franchise willing to give him his first opportunity at making an NBA roster.

"I love the city. It's clean, it's safe, everybody's like you and smiling. Everyone gets along so it's great."

Love may be closer than Moon knows. If he constantly battles in camp and truly defines himself on both ends of the court, not only does Moon secure a roster spot among the guaranteed contracts but he's finally arrived at a place called home.

Hopefully Moon is able to stick around long enough so he can call Toronto home and allow Raptors fans to reciprocate the love.