The Toronto Raptors do not have a particularly long franchise history when compared to a number of other teams; technically only the New Orleans Pelicans have a shorter history of seasons than Toronto. Yet as they celebrate their 30th anniversary as an NBA team this season, the Raptors have a lot to celebrate.
A number of players have come through town and proven their worth as elite offensive threats. From Alvin Robertson scoring 30 points in the Raptors' first-ever game in 1995 to RJ Barrett pouring in 35 points in the Raptors' penultimate game this past April, Toronto knows how to put up points.
Who have been the greatest scorers in franchise history? Let's look at the franchise leaders in scoring over the course of a season and glory in the buckets of some of the Raptors' greatest players.
Raptors' All-Time Single-Season Points Record
Vince Carter: 2,107 points in 1999-00
Vince Carter was the first true superstar for the Toronto Raptors; that's why he is getting his jersey retired this season, the first player in franchise history to do so. In his rookie season he won Rookie of the Year and received an MVP vote, and he followed that up with his first All-Star season in 1999-00.
Carter appeared in all 82 games that season, multiplying his 25.7 points per game into a franchise-record 2,107 total points. Carter shot 40.3 percent from 3-point range and 46.5 percent from the field as he combined a smooth shooting stroke with thunderous athleticism and was one of the top scorers in the league. His 2,107 points that year were second only to Shaquille O'Neal, who won MVP.
Rest of Top 5:
- Vince Carter, 2000-01, 2,070 points
- DeMar DeRozan, 2016-17, 2,020 points
- DeMar DeRozan, 2017-18, 1,840 points
- DeMar DeRozan, 2015-16, 1,830 points
Raptors' All-Time Points per Game Record
Vince Carter: 27.6 points per game in 2000-01
While Vince Carter was an iron man in 1999-00, the following season was probably his best as a pure scorer. He nearly doubled his 3-point volume and the percentage went up, and he hit a career-best 10.2 field goals per game to go with 6.7 free throw attempts per contest.
That combination of greater efficiency and perimeter volume meant that he increased his scoring by two points per game despite averaging the same number of 2-point shots and free-throw attempts as the season before. Carter led the Raptors into the playoffs and to a Round 1 series victory over the New York Knicks before losing in an epic 7-game series to Allen Iverson and the Philadelphia 76ers.
Rest of Top 5:
- DeMar DeRozan, 2016-17, 27.3 PPG
- Kawhi Leonard, 2018-19, 26.6 PPG
- Vince Carter, 1999-00, 25.7 PPG
- Vince Carter, 2001-02, 24.7 PPG
Raptors' All-Time Points per 36 Minutes Record
Nigel Hayes, 36 points per 36 minutes in 2017-18
This final category is a bit tongue-in-cheek, as it looks at players who scored a lot of point relative to their playing time. The small sample means players who could barely make it in the NBA but hit a shot or two when they checked into the game live at the top of the list.
Nigel Hayes out of Wisconsin played a total of nine games for three different teams in his only season in the league. He played six minutes total for the Raptors in 2017-18, hitting both of his 3-point attempts, shooting a perfect 100 percent from the field and averaging exactly a point per minute. Other names just behind include Chris Jefferies, Peja Stojakovic and Shamorie Ponds.