Once upon a time, the Toronto Raptors won the draft lottery, earning the first overall selection.
That year, Toronto had the 5th best odds at the first overall pick—an 8.80% chance—as they finished with a 27-55 record.
Would you believe it? The largely overlooked Raptors getting that coveted position?
Well, it just sucks knowing that it was the measly 2006 NBA Draft, a class that was largely seen as underwhelming at best. And the selection Toronto ended up making did not turn out to be franchise-altering as they might have hoped, as the Raptors selected Italian big man Andrea Bargnani, a prospect many viewed in pre-draft analyses as possessing a Dirk Nowitzki-esque ceiling.
It's safe to say that Bargnani largely came up short of those expectations, never quite panning out into an impactful, winning player, despite a couple of seasons in Toronto where his stats appeared solid at first glance.
Of course, hindsight is always 20/20, but I bet the Raptors spent the years that followed a little bit disappointed they weren't able to add stronger 2006 draft prospects like LaMarcus Aldridge or Brandon Roy, both of whom became very important pieces for the Portland Trail Blazers.
Toronto largely believed they had a potential international sensation on the verge of superstardom. Eventually, the Raptors found themselves trying to trade Bargnani elsewhere, as the experiment didn’t work out. Luckily, the New York Knicks were surprisingly interested in Bargnani and ended up giving up some decent assets to acquire him.
Nearly 20 years later, Toronto might not be the top favorite to pick first in the 2025 NBA Draft, but they still have a chance to fix that past mistake by landing a game-changing prospect—Duke forward Cooper Flagg.
Raptors winning lottery to draft Cooper Flagg would be franchise-defining
If Toronto can shock the NBA world by landing the first overall pick, they can rest assured that this time, the consensus top prospect isn’t a big risk to be a boom-or-bust player—Cooper Flagg is undeniably the real deal.
His Duke squad may not have secured the National Championship this year, but Flagg still impressed in his highly-touted freshman campaign. He posted averages of 19.2 points on 48.1% shooting from the field, 38.5% from three, along with 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 blocks, and 1.4 steals in just over 30 minutes of playing time across 37 total games.
Flagg is an offensive and defensive powerhouse, making him a natural fit for any team he might join in the NBA. The Raptors might already be forward-heavy with guys like Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett, and Brandon Ingram on the roster, but when you get the chance to add a once-in-a-generation ace like Flagg, you take it and see how it works out.
The draft lottery will be revealed soon enough, so hopefully the Raptors can get a bit of luck on their side. This could be their chance to turn things around and rewrite the past.