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?
2. Zach Randolph, 2001 NBA Draft (19th overall)
Raptors selection: Michael Bradley (17th overall)
The Raptors headed into the 2001 NBA Draft in need of a big to anchor the franchise into the future alongside Vince Carter. And with the 17th overall pick, Toronto decided to take a shot on Michael Bradley, an extremely productive player who had made quite the jump in production after his transfer from Kentucky to Villanova.
For as good as Bradley was in college, he didn’t exactly make the transition to the NBA that well. An injury-riddled three-season stint in Toronto destroyed his potential, and he was ultimately let go by the Raptors. In the end, Bradley would be remembered as a bust for the Raptors.
Michael Bradley over Zach Randolph stings for the Toronto Raptors.
During his best season with the team, he averaged just five points and six rebounds on 48 percent shooting from the field. What makes the Bradley pick all the more disappointing is the fact that Zach Randolph was selected just two picks later at No. 19.
Randolph would make two all-star games throughout his career but is known as one of the best post players in modern NBA history. From 2003-11, Randolph was one of the most productive big men in the league. Specifically, during the 2006-07 season, Randolph averaged 24 points and 10 rebounds on 47 percent shooting from the field. Oops!
3. Andre Iguodala, 2004 NBA Draft (9th overall)
Raptors selection: Rafael Araújo (8th overall)
During the 2004 NBA Draft, Toronto took the chance on a productive, yet somewhat difficult to project, collegiate prospect, Rafael Araújo, with the eighth overall pick.
It didn’t exactly work out, as Araújo just played two seasons with the Raptors before they traded him to the Utah Jazz. During his best season with Toronto, the BYU product averaged three points and three rebounds on 43 percent shooting from the field.
The Toronto Raptors should have taken Andre Iguodala.
Unfortunately, the Raptors missed big time in that draft. Instead of taking Araújo with the 8th pick, they could’ve easily taken Andre Iguodala, who was selected one pick later at No. 9 by the Philadelphia 76ers. He only made one All-Star game during his career but is quite the accomplished player. He’s won four NBA Championships, was named NBA Finals MVP in 2015 with the Golden State Warriors, and has been named to numerous All-NBA Defensive Teams.
At his statistical height in the NBA, Iguodala averaged 20 points, five rebounds, and five assists on 46 percent shooting from the field. With a young Chris Bosh leading the way, you can make the argument that the mid-2000s for Toronto goes a lot differently if they had drafted Iguodala in the 2004 NBA Draft.
4. Danny Granger, 2005 NBA Draft (17th overall)
Raptors selection(s): Charlie Villanueva (7th overall), Joey Graham (16th overall)
Entering the 2005 NBA Draft with two first-round picks in the top 20, the Raptors had the opportunity to really stack up on young talent. However, and unfortunately for the Raptors, the 2005 Draft would be remembered as one of the weaker classes in recent history. There is likely only one Hall of Famer to emerge from that top 10, Chris Paul.
And as it would be remembered, the Raptors whiffed with both of their first-round picks in the top 10. The Raptors first selected Charlie Villanueva with the 7th pick and then Joey Graham with the 16th overall pick. Neither really caught on with the Raptors, with Villanueva playing just one season with the team before being traded and then Graham playing three seasons in Toronto before moving on.
The Toronto Raptors missed Danny Granger.
However, one player that was one of the best to come out of this draft, whom Toronto passed on twice, was Granger. He was selected by the Indiana Pacers with the 17th overall pick.
From 2007-12, Granger was one of the best wing players in the league. Before an injury derailed his career, he made one all-star during the 2008-09 season in which he averaged 26 points and six rebounds on 45 percent shooting from the field and 40 percent shooting from 3-point range. Toronto’s history is quite different if they land Granger with one of those two first-round picks in 2005.
5. Domantas Sabonis, 2016 NBA Draft (11th overall)
Raptors selection: Jakob Poeltl (9th overall)
Equipped with a top 10 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, the Toronto Raptors were looking to find a player that could eventually play a big part in the team and their pursuit of an NBA Championship.
And with a need for a big man, the Raptors selected Jakob Poeltl with the 9th overall pick. Playing two seasons with the team, Poeltl showed flashes of potential. It never completely clicked and he was eventually traded as part of a blockbuster package for Kawhi Leonard (before returning as a much better player).
However, you can’t help but wonder what would’ve happened had the Raptors, instead, taken Domantas Sabonis who was selected two picks later at No. 11 by the Orlando Magic (and then traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder). Since his second season in the league, Sabonis has looked like the real deal.
Should the Toronto Raptors have picked Domantas Sabonis?
It has all culminated in arguably the best season of his career thus far with the Sacramento Kings, in which he was named to his third All-Star team while averaging 19 points, 12 rebounds, and seven assists per game on 62% shooting from the field.
Perhaps the Raptors still trade Sabonis to the Spurs for Kawhi, even if they had selected him in 2016, but it’s undoubtedly one of the most significant draft “what ifs” in franchise history.