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6 greatest NBA Draft steals in Toronto Raptors franchise history

By Avishai Sol

TORONTO, ON - MARCH 24: OG Anunoby #3 of the Toronto Raptors takes part in warm ups before playing the Detroit Pistons in their basketball game at the Scotiabank Arena on March 24, 2023 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 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. (Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - MARCH 24: OG Anunoby #3 of the Toronto Raptors takes part in warm ups before playing the Detroit Pistons in their basketball game at the Scotiabank Arena on March 24, 2023 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 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. (Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images) /
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The Toronto Raptors have had a long and interesting draft history. There have been ups and downs over the years, but today we’re focusing on the positive.

Whether it’s 20 picks deep or even later, the Raptors have earned a reputation around the league as one of the premier talent evaluators in the land, so much so that Raptors fans have come to trust second-round selections with a faith most fanbases reserve for lottery guys.

Which players have broken the mold and emerged as the best draft steals in Raptors history?

Some criteria for this list; the higher the pick, the less likely they are to appear (so no Scottie Barnes over Jalen Suggs action when it’s top five), undrafted players aren’t eligible (sorry, Fred VanVleet), and we’re going from least to most impressive.

Top 6 biggest draft steals in Toronto Raptors history.

6. Delon Wright

After his days as a backup combo guard for the Raptors, Lady Luck hasn’t been kind to Delon Wright. However, remember that before he started being passed around NBA bottom feeders year after year, he was one of the more reliable backups in the East.

Playing two memorable years at Utah in college, Wright was one of the best players in the Pac-12. His sophomore season resulted in a run to the NCAA tournament alongside future NBA elites Jakob Poeltl and Kyle Kuzma. That Utah team lost in the regional semi-finals, but not before vaulting Wright up the NBA draft board.

At the same time, the Raptors had seen their second consecutive year of playoff basketball but had lost in the first round both in the 2014 and 2015 post-seasons.  The Lowry and DeRozan backcourt was one of the best in the league, but with Sixth Man of the Year Lou Williams departing for greener contracts, the Raptors needed a replacement guard off the bench.

Delon Wright was a steal for the Toronto Raptors.

Enter Wright, picked 20th overall in 2015. Capable of playing the point or off-guard position, Wright was able to slot right in and contribute valuable minutes as a table-setter, but more importantly as a defender by picking up the opposing team’s best guard when one of Lowry or DeRozan sat.

Wright’s best Raptors season came in 2018, where he averaged an important 8.7 points, 3.3 assists, and 3.5 rebounds per game on respectable percentages.

Getting shipped to Memphis alongside Jonas Valanciunas in the Marc Gasol deal, Wright was playing the best basketball of his career. This deal allowed the Raptors to land the big man who’d go toe-to-toe with Joel Embiid in the Eastern Semis and then build the Giannis Antetokounmpo wall in the Conference Finals.

Wright, now in Washington, wasn’t a star, but he was a good value role player in the late first round.

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