Top 3 African-born players in Toronto Raptors franchise history
By Mike Luciano
2. Serge Ibaka
Ibaka has since moved on to green pastures, as he joined up with the Clippers prior to a trade that sent him to Milwaukee. Ibaka may not have stuck around for the long haul, but he played a key role in establishing the Raptors as a championship-caliber franchise in the paint.
In parts of four seasons with Toronto, Ibaka averaged 14.2 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. With a robust 36% success rate from 3-point range and 1.2 blocks per contest in that span, Ibaka was a force in the paint and on the perimeter. Without him, the Raptors may have had some extra playoff stumbles.
Serge Ibaka was a leader for the Toronto Raptors.
Getting someone of Ibaka’s caliber for Terrence Ross will go down as one of Ujiri’s best trades ever. While Ibaka wouldn’t have been the determining factor in the championship run, it’s easy to see the pitfalls that having an experienced big man with versatility helped Toronto avoid.
The Raptors have been trying to scoop up players with a similar play style to that of the Congolese big man, with mixed results. An utterly unique character and leader who joined the team at the perfect time, Ibaka is going to be remembered fondly by the Raptors’ history books.