Toronto Raptors: 30 greatest players of all-time

12. Alvin Williams

If I’m honest, Williams might be a bit too high on this list, he could well be ahead of T.J. Ford but longevity gets the nod here, thanks to Williams’ eight seasons spent in Canada, even though a lot of those seasons were plagued with injuries.

Part of a trade that sent the disgruntled young superstar, Damon Stoudamire to Portland, Williams was never meant to jump out with the stats, he had Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady to do most of the heavy lifting in terms of scoring.

WIlliams featured in some of the best moments in Raptors history, though, especially in the early years. He was a superb defender and had enough vision to run an offense, he could also shoot when it mattered the most. Time to set the scene.

May 4, 2001: The Raptors are leading 87-83 with just under a minute left on the clock, Alvin Williams has the ball at the top of the key. Williams slips and loses control of the ball, Vince Carter takes control and is then double-teamed by two Knicks defenders. Williams looks at the pressure and fades to the corner, wide open to receive the pass from Carter and knock down the open jumper. The Raptors go up 89-83 and pretty much kill the game off with this shot.

Ball game, one of the most famous moments in Raptors history, even though the shot didn’t change the swing of the game. It doesn’t matter though, the shot holds a lot of emotional value and it deserves to remain that way.