Toronto Raptors: All-time Starting 5

It is always a good thing when making a list of the best players in franchise history is this difficult to formulate. For the Toronto Raptors, it is becoming an increasingly onerous task. The past few decades especially has given us some amazing talent and great moments.

For the purposes of this list we will only be looking at a player’s play during their time in Toronto, so don’t expect to see Tracy McGrady or Hakeem Olajuwon on this unit due to their minimal contributions north of the border

So who made the cut?

Toronto Raptors All-Time starting 5: Tough Cuts

Damon Stoudamire

One of the OG Toronto Raptors, Stoudamire‘s time with the Raptors was short and the departure was not so sweet. However, he was a player who helped a hockey town fall in love with the game of basketball. Mighty Mouse won Rookie of the Year in his first season in Toronto and averaged near 20 points and 8 assists during his short stint with the team.

Pascal Siakam

Siakam is a player who could end up on this list in a few years. Siakam is a guy who has steadily improved since being drafted by the Raptors in 2016. Masai Ujiri could probably say in a candid moment that he never expected the guy out of New Mexico State to be a future All-Star and offensive centerpiece of the team.

Jonas Valanciunas

Valanciunas will forever be in the hearts of all Raptors fans. One of the most loyal and hardworking players that Toronto has ever seen, Big Science could always adapt to the evolution of the game and was happy in any role given to him. A great locker room guy more than anything else, the Lithuanian is someone Raptors players surely miss.

PG: Kyle Lowry

Kyle Lowry remains arguably the greatest Raptor of All-Time

Lowry has been the heartbeat of the Toronto Raptors organization for the past decade. His heart and hustle has defined the Raptors culture and helped create the championship mentality that eventually led to a 2019 title.

A lot of things lined up for Lowry to eventually become the future Hall-of-Famer he is today. Trading for the journeyman wasn’t Toronto’s first choice and a Knixed trade (pardon the pun) nearly sent him away. Fate brought him and kept him in Toronto, and whenever he hangs them up, expect the number 7 to be hanging from the rafters in Scotiabank.

SG: DeMar DeRozan

DeMar DeRozan was an elite scorer for the Raptors

DeRozan truly brought exciting and competitive basketball back to Toronto. The Toronto Raptors were in a tough place before DeMar starting flourishing as a 20-year-old and began to bring winning ways back to the Raptors organization.

DeMar is the definition of work ethic and has increasingly expanded his game since entering the league. DeRozan’s loyalty to the city of Toronto is unmatched and in 2016 he proved that a star player could commit to Canada after seeing so many big-name players walk out the door.

It was a day of mixed emotions for Toronto Raptors fans when DeMar was moved in the deal that brought Kawhi to Toronto, but for DeRozan, it was complete devastation.

Still, he’ll always be a Raptor, and his contributions to this franchise will not be forgotten any time soon.

SF: Vince Carter

Vince Carter helped put the Toronto Raptors and Canadian basketball on the map

Carter was the Toronto Raptors’ first bonafide superstar. Vinsanity captivated the city of Toronto like no player had ever before.

There were so many iconic moments during Air Canada’s time with the Raptors, like the 2000 All-Star Game dunk contest, but he was must-see television every night, selling out the Air Canada Center every night as fans wanted to see what Vince would pull off.

Unfortunately, the exit was messy and some Raptors fans will never be able to forget some of the stunts he pulled to eventually engineer his own departure. Whether you can forgive him or not, Carter is one of the greatest Raptors of all-time and to this day is the most dynamic player to ever rep the Dino.

PF: Kawhi Leonard

Kawhi Leonard’s one season in Toronto was magical

The man that brought the Larry O’Brien Trophy north of the border. Kawhi‘s tenure with the Toronto Raptors was short, but oh so sweet.

Masai Ujiri took a major risk in trading for the disgruntled and injury recovering star, but his gambler mentality landed the Raptors one of the league’s best players on both sides of the ball. Leonard did his job, leading Toronto past the 76ers and Bucks to ultimately dethrone the mighty Golden State Warriors.

So many great moments were given to Raptors fans during The Klaw’s time in Toronto on the way to winning an NBA Championship.

He is the best all-around player to ever don a Raptors jersey, even if he isn’t the greatest Raptor.

C: Chris Bosh

The Raptors truly wasted Bosh‘s best years, and it is hard to blame him for leaving to join the Miami ‘Big 3’ that was constructed during 2010 free agency.

A walking 20-10 in points and rebounds, respectively, it is hard to imagine how good the Raptors could have been if they surrounded him with the right pieces. Instead, Bosh was left to twist in the wind while Toronto burned around them.

Although he is probably the most forgettable past Toronto Raptors star on this all-time unit, he really shouldn’t be given what he was able to do during his time in Toronto with an abysmal supporting cast. Easily a top-5 Raptor of all-time.

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