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Fansided

Ranking every first-round pick in Toronto Raptors history

By Raju Byfield

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 17: Masai Ujiri of the Toronto Raptors sits in his seat during the 2016 NBA Draft Lottery at the New York Hilton in New York, New York. 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 2016 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 17: Masai Ujiri of the Toronto Raptors sits in his seat during the 2016 NBA Draft Lottery at the New York Hilton in New York, New York. 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 2016 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Toronto Raptors
Toronto Raptors – Chris Jefferies. (Photo by: Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Chris Jefferies – 27th overall (2002)

It is hard to fault the Toronto Raptors for whiffing on a pick in the late twenties. The player they ended up trading to the Los Angeles Lakers in Kareem Rush, was an effective role player, but never came close to what most thought his NBA ceiling was. Chris Jefferies, on the other hand, was more of an end of the bench body.

He looked good in college but that was only after he transferred from Arkansas to Fresno State. Jefferies averaged 17.3 points and 6.3 rebounds in his final college season, but he did so on under 42-percent shooting. He played 53 games with the Toronto Raptors, starting 10, and averaged just 3.9 points on 39-percent shooting.

His career highs of 15 points and 5 rebounds goes to show how uninspiring he was in the NBA. He lasted only two seasons in the NBA and played only 19 games in his second NBA season.

The most noteworthy player drafted after Chris Jeffries was Carlos Boozer, a player who while limited, profiled as a superior prospect to Jefferies. Boozer would become a two-time all-star and even made the All-NBA team in 2007-08. Although he was a limited player who had no three-point range and provided little in terms of blocking shots, Boozer was one of the top big men in the league for nine of his 13 NBA seasons.

Other players the Toronto Raptors passed on include Matt Barnes and two players that would end up joining the Toronto Raptors later in their careers in Rasual Butler and Luis Scola. Scola made the all-rookie team despite playing only 24.7 minutes per game. Barnes was a hard-nosed small forward who would have provided a solid stopgap at the small forward position for the Toronto Raptors.