5 All-Stars Toronto Raptors painfully passed on in NBA Draft

For the majority of their history, the Toronto Raptors have actually been one of the better teams at drafting in the league. Looking back at their first-round NBA Draft history, there aren’t a ton of complete whiffs made by the team.

However, as is the case for every franchise, there are a few times in history when perhaps the Raptors didn’t make the best of draft decisions. Fans will wince when scrolling Basketball Reference and looking at the wealth of talent that was

Looking back, we explore five times when the Raptors just missed out on taking an all-star in the NBA Draft that could’ve changed the trajectory of their franchise.

5 All-Stars that the Toronto Raptors passed on in the NBA Draft

1. Ray Allen 1996 NBA Draft (5th overall)

Raptors selection: Marcus Camby (2nd overall)

During the 1996 NBA Draft, after one season in existence, the Toronto Raptors had the 2nd overall pick and the opportunity to jump-start its franchise. After Allen Iverson went No. 1 overall to the 76ers, the Raptors decided to take Marcus Camby, who had just led UMass to the Final Four. On the surface, Camby didn’t end up being a terrible selection. Camby had a good NBA career and was quite productive in Toronto.

After two seasons, the Raptors traded Camby to the New York Knicks for Charles Oakley. However, the biggest reason why the Camby pick ends up being somewhat regrettable is the fact that Ray Allen was taken just three picks later at No. 5 overall by Milwaukee.

The Toronto Raptors passed on Ray Allen.

Allen was a 10-time NBA All-Star and won two NBA Championships. He’s also a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame. I think it’s safe to say that the trajectory of the Raptors is a bit different had they selected Allen over Camby in the 1996 NBA Draft.

How different would things have looked if Jesus Shuttlesworth was wearing that giant dinosaur on his chest instead of plying his trade for those late 90s Bucks?