Toronto Raptors: Top 5 small forwards in franchise history

Raptors small forward No. 2: Tracy McGrady

At the Adidas ABCD basketball camp in 1996, Tracy McGrady walked in as an unknown player ranked 175, good for last place. He dominated the camp, left as the #1 ranked player in the nation and got the attention of NBA scouts around the league. The Raptors went big and selected an 18-year-old high school kid with the ninth overall pick in the 1997 NBA draft.

Unfortunately, he spent most of his rookie year in the doghouse under coach Darrell Walker. Once Butch Carter took over, he saw the untapped potential and decided to give him more minutes. The following year the Raptors drafted his distant cousin turned confidante, Vince Carter. This was the start of a bond that would pay dividends on and off the court.

By the 1999-2000 season, the high-flyin’ duo were taking the league by storm. The 2000 NBA Dunk Contest will always be one that Carter changed forever. But lost amid Carter’s historic performance was T-Mac who put on quite a show of his own. Sadly this wouldn’t be the last time that McGrady would be eclipsed by his cousin’s shadow.

Tracy McGrady had some good years with the Toronto Raptors

T-Mac had his best season with the franchise averaging 15.4 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.9 blocks, making him was a contender for the Sixth Man of the Year Award before making the starting lineup by March. Butch Carter & Co. finished with a 45-37 record and clinched the first Raptors playoff spot in Raptors’ history.

Unfortunately, it was the first of many first-round exits in McGrady’s career as the Raptors were swept by the Knicks. Shortly after, he ended up with the Orlando Magic, as he wanted to be the first option and move closer to home.  We never got to see the legend in his prime – something that both the Raptors fanbase and T-Mac will always regret.