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Toronto Raptors: Five best centers in franchise history

By Mike Bossetti

Toronto Raptors - Antonio Davis (Photo by Tannis Toohey/Toronto Star via Getty Images)
Toronto Raptors - Antonio Davis (Photo by Tannis Toohey/Toronto Star via Getty Images) /
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SACRAMENTO, CA – MARCH 3: Marcus Camby #21 of the Toronto Raptors dunks during a game played on March 3, 1997 at Arco Arena in Sacramento, California. 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 1997 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)
SACRAMENTO, CA – MARCH 3: Marcus Camby #21 of the Toronto Raptors dunks during a game played on March 3, 1997 at Arco Arena in Sacramento, California. 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 1997 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Marcus Camby

The only thing keeping Marcus Camby from placing higher on this list is longevity. Camby showed out during his time with the Raptors. Unfortunately, that time lasted just two seasons.

The Toronto Raptors drafted Marcus Camby with the second overall pick of the infamous 1996 NBA draft.

Despite being selected in perhaps the greatest draft class of all-time, Camby still made NBA All-Rookie First Team. During his first season with the Raptors, Camby averaged 14.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game.

The following season Camby produced similar raw numbers. He averaged 12.1 points, 7.4 rebounds, and led the NBA in blocks with 3.1 per game.

However, despite the raw production, Camby was growing surprisingly inefficient.  During his sophomore year he shot just 41.2-percent. A terrible number for any player, much less a center. As a comparison, Stephen Curry has a higher career THREE point percentage.

By all accounts the 1997-98 Raptors were one of the worst in NBA history. Despite having a young core of Chauncey Billups, Tracy McGrady, and Marcus Camby (Vince Carter would also be drafted the following offseason), the team understandably (not unforgivably) panicked and traded Camby for an aging Charles Oakley.

Camby went on to have a good-but-not-great 17 year career, while Oakley managed just three mediocre seasons with the Raptors. Overall the trade was certainly a disappointment and one of many team-building mistakes Toronto made during the late 1990s.