Who are the greatest players in Toronto Raptors history?
Our definitive ranking of the best overall players will be coming later this year, but we are kicking off a new series that will answer the above question from different angles. Who are the best defenders in Raptors history? The best shooters? The best rebounders?
What's unique is that we will explore these questions through the lens of a starting 5. Anyone can look up a straight list, but in putting together a 5-man lineup that can actually function on an NBA court, we are forced to think through Raptors history and identify players who excelled at their position.
For example, in today's article we will kick things off by looking at the greatest shot-blockers in franchise history. Which players best protected the paint, intimidated opposing jumpshooters and overall stuffed the ball as much as possible?
If this were simply a ranking of the most prolific shot-blockers, we could run down the list of intimidating centers: names like Jakob Poeltl, Chris Boucher, Ed Davis and Oliver Miller would show up. Instead, we're building out a 5-man roster, so we get to highlight some perimeter players who got up to swat shots.
Without further ado, the All-Time Toronto Raptors Starting 5 for the great shot-blockers in franchise history:
Point Guard: Scottie Barnes
211 games played, 204 blocks, 1.0 blocks per game
We will kick things off by starting Scottie Barnes at point guard, a position he has played offensively for long stretches of his young career. The 6'7" Barnes is a rising star in the league, in part because of his ability to cover ground on defense and provide legitimately strong weakside rim protection.
Barnes averaged 1.5 blocks per game this past season, just his third in the league at age 22. Despite receiving very little help from his perimeter defenders, Barnes' ability to rotate to the rim and swat shots was crucial to keeping Toronto's defense afloat, and he especially excelled in trail situations.
It is likely that Scottie Barnes continues to grow as a defender and improves his shot-blocking prowess moving forward.
Shooting Guard: Tracy McGrady
192 games played, 278 blocks, 1.4 blocks per game
While Scottie Barnes has played just three seasons and counting for the Raptors, Tracy McGrady played just three seasons after being drafted by Toronto and then left.
In those three seasons, however, McGrady was clearly the best shot-blocking guard in franchise history. He averaged 1.4 blocks per game in his 192 games, popping off the floor to challenge shots no matter if they were at the rim or beyond the 3-point line. His athleticism was astounding and it translated to both ends of the court, especially early in his career.
He once had seven blocks in a single game, a tight win over the Houston Rockets in March of 2000; every other player for both teams tallied just seven themselves.
Small Forward: Vince Carter
403 games played, 415 blocks, 1.0 blocks per game
The greatest skywalker of his generation was not simply a magnificent dunker, but he was also capable of climbing the ladder and destroying the shot attempts of the opposing team.
Carter totaled 415 blocks during his time in Toronto, fourth-most in franchise history but at the time he left No. 1. He exploded onto the season averaging 1.5 blocks per game as a rookie, then dialed back the defensive effort as he became a perennial All-NBA player and offensive star.
Power Forward: Chris Bosh
509 games played, 600 blocks, 1.2 blocks per game
The franchise leader in total blocks edges out some other standout power forwards, including Amir Johnson and Serge Ibaka. Chris Bosh was the offensive fulcrum of the team, but he also brought it on the defensive end as well.
While Bosh's most famous block happened in the NBA Finals with the Miami Heat, the athletic big ate up opponent shots while in Toronto as well. In one memorable game against the Milwaukee Bucks he had six blocks and 30 points, highlighting his two-way impact.
Center: Marcus Camby
126 games played, 360 blocks, 2.9 blocks per game
Deciding who would earn the slot at center was a difficult task, as a number of prolific shot-blockers have rolled through the team throughout the years. Currently Jakob Poeltl is intimidating opponents from entering the paint, and in years past the likes of Oliver Miller and Antonio Davis made cases for themselves.
The winner here has to be Marcus Camby, however. He was not on the team for very long, less than two whole seasons, but the shot-blocking impact that he had while in Toronto was significant. His 2.9 blocks per game are the most for any player with at least 70 appearances for the team, and it's not particularly close.
Camby averaged 2.1 blocks per game as a rookie, then followed that up with a whopping 3.7 blocks per game to lead the league in his second season. That included a historic 11-block game against the New Jersey Nets in 1998.
Marcus Camby ranks 13th in NBA history in total blocks and ninth in block percentage, and he was the greatest shot-blocker in Toronto Raptors franchise history.