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Toronto Raptors: 15 best draft picks of all-time

By Mike Bossetti

TORONTO, ON - DECEMBER 17: Vince Carter
TORONTO, ON - DECEMBER 17: Vince Carter /
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Chris Bosh, Toronto Raptors
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – MARCH 20: (L-R) Hedo Turkoglu #26, Chris Bosh #4 and head coach Jay Triano of the Toronto Raptors stand on the court during a break in the game against the New Jersey Nets on March 20, 2010 at the Izod Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Raptors won 100-90. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2010 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Chris Bosh. 3. player. 81. . Power Forward. Georgia Institute of Technology

Drafted fourth overall in one of the most loaded draft classes of all time, Chris Bosh will likely be remembered more for his accomplishments in a Miami Heat uniform than a Raptors jersey.

However, if you look at his numbers and overall impact, his career with the Raptors might be more impressive.

Bosh made an immediate impact in his first season. The 19 year-old rookie averaged 11.5 points and 7.4 rebounds per game playing out of position, as the team’s starting center for most of the season.

Midway through Bosh’s sophomore campaign, small forward Vince Carter was traded. Making Bosh, at just 20 years old the face of the franchise. Initially the team struggled.

The team went 27-55 in its first full season without Carter, earning the No. 1 overall pick in the 2006 NBA Draft. However, with the first overall pick the Raptors failed to draft Bosh adequate help, selecting Andrea Bargnani over the likes of LaMarcus Aldridge, Brandon Roy and others. 

Despite his lack of help, Bosh helped will the Toronto Raptors to the No. 3 seed during the 2006-2007 NBA season. With the likes of Anthony Parker, Jamario Moon, and Bargnani all ranking top five in minutes played, the Toronto Raptors finished with a record of 47-35, placing them first in the Atlantic Division. Despite their regular season success, the team’s lack of quality players caught up to them in the playoffs as they lost in the first round to the Vince Carter led New Jersey Nets.

After a couple of more frustrating seasons with the team, Chris Bosh left Toronto to team up with LeBron James and Dwyane Wade in Miami. It was in Miami that Bosh became an NBA champion and cemented his place as a hall of famer. Still, Bosh’s time in a Raptors uniform should never be forgotten, as he carried a franchise on his back for years.