Toronto Raptors: 30 greatest players of all-time

16. Marcus Camby

Marcus Can’t Be, the original poster boy for young disgruntled stars in the North.

Camby was the number two overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft and was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team in his first season, he was a slight-framed powerhouse if such a thing existed.

The 17-year veteran only spent two seasons in Toronto, playing 126 games and starting 96 of them. He was a menace who could do it all, and had a pretty solid roster around him, including Damon Stoudamire, Doug Christie and Walt Williams.

The team was still relatively new though, so finding it’s identity took a while. It didn’t help that Camby had a litany of injuries that slowed him down in his rookie year, mainly back and ankle injuries.

The Raptors won a handy 30 games in Camby’s first season, he averaged a career-high 14.8 points in his rookie season, adding just over two blocks per game.

A scandal emerged during his first season in the NBA — it was alleged that agents provided Camby with $28,000, cars and a host of other luxury items while he was at UMass. Camby announced that it was a true and UMass’ Final Four run was subsequently stricken from the record.

Second season syndrome didn’t exist for Camby, he led the league in blocks with just under four per game, Camby’s athleticism and wingspan along with his defensive IQ meant he could always get into the right spot to swat the ball like a fly.

Sick of losing after his second season, a season in which the Raptors amassed a putrid 16 wins, Camby was traded to the New York Knicks and the Raptors were back to square one until Vince Carter arrived.