The Toronto Raptors may not have been able to see Scottie Barnes coast into the 2024 NBA All-Star Game in Indianapolis due to the team's poor record. He will have to wait until next year, barring the coaches going rogue, to etch his name in Raptors history as another All-Star nominee.
For a young franchise with only one championship in its history, the Raptors have done quite an exceptional job of building up All-Star-level talent. Between the 1999 and 2019 seasons, the Raptors had at least one player named to an All-Star team in all but four seasons despite a general lack of playoff success.
The Raptors have sent a grand total of eight players to the All-Star game in their history, with five of that octet making it multiple times. Will Barnes become the ninth such player anytime soon, or will this list remain static for quite some time.
NBA players voted Scottie Barnes 11th among Eastern Conference All-Star forwards:
— 𝐀𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐧 𝐑𝐨𝐬𝐞 (@AaronBenRose) January 26, 2024
1. Giannis
2. Embiid
3. Tatum
4. Paolo
5. Bam
6. Brown
7. Bridges
8. Butler
9. Kristaps
10. Allen
11. Scottie/Pascal (tied)
Every Toronto Raptors player to make NBA All Star Game
- Kyle Lowry: 6x (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019)
- Vince Carter: 5x (1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003)
- Chris Bosh: 5x (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009)
- DeMar DeRozan: 4x (2013, 2015, 2016, 2017)
- Pascal Siakam: 2x (2019, 2022)
- Kawhi Leonard: 1x (2018)
- Fred VanVleet: 1x (2021)
- Antonio Davis: 1x (2000)
The early years of the Raptors were marked by the mercurial Carter dominating and not much else, as he made five straight All-Star Games. Davis, who averaged 13.7 points and 10.1 rebounds per game in 2000, is the unlikeliest Raptors All-Star. Carter leaving created a path for Bosh, who made five consecutive All-Star Games of his own.
Lowry and DeRozan combined for 10 All-Star appearances with the Raptors, sharing the stage in three consecutive games from 2015 to 2017. The dream backcourt was eventually broken up for Leonard, who would coast to an All-Star nod in his only season north of the border.
After the title, only Lowry, VanVleet, and Siakam have made All-Star games, with the latter of that trio making two games and being named All-NBA twice in that four-year span. Siakam's greatness still seems to have flown under the radar of most NBA fans outside of Toronto.