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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 – Joey Graham. (Photo by Aaron Lynett/Toronto Star via Getty Images) /

Joey Graham – 16th overall (2005)

No discussion of Toronto Raptors draft day mistakes is complete without addressing the selection of Joey Graham. While he was not a total reach, he was not the top-rated player on the board. The fact that the Toronto Raptors had already passed on Danny Granger once only to still see him available at 16th overall and pass again is what makes the Graham selection such a colossal blunder.

Danny Granger went one pick later at 17th overall and turned into a dynamic small forward who could guard the two to the four. Granger had the type of range to become a perfect complement to then franchise player Chris Bosh. He maxed out as a 25.8 point per game scorer in the 2008-09 season. He made one All-Star appearance.

Graham did show some glimpses in his NBA career, but ultimately only ended up playing six seasons. Graham’s best game as a pro came on April 30th, 2010 as a member of the Denver Nuggets when he put up 21 points, 10 rebounds, a block, and two steals. Graham averaged just 6.4 points and 3.4 rebounds on 48-percent shooting as a member of the Toronto Raptors. He was never viewed as ready during his tenure and managed only 17.4 minutes per game. Graham lasted 275 games as a Raptor. He started 58 of them.

As alluded to above, Graham’s ranking here is as much about who the Raptors directly passed on as it is about the Graham selection itself. An undersized power forward who was forced to play small forward due to the depth chart, Graham never had the range or offensive basketball IQ to become anything more than an end of the bench player. He was a reach, but he was still a player expected to go in the mid to high teens. Just not before Danny Granger.