Everything about The Toronto Raptors totally explained
The
Toronto Raptors are a professional
basketball team based in
Toronto,
Ontario. They are part of the
Atlantic Division of the
Eastern Conference in the
National Basketball Association (NBA). The team was established in 1995, along with the
Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's
expansion into
Canada. When the Grizzlies relocated to
Memphis,
Tennessee in 2001, the Raptors became the only Canadian team in the NBA. They originally played their home games in the
SkyDome, before moving to the
Air Canada Centre (ACC) in 1999.
Like most expansion teams, the Raptors struggled in their early years, but after the acquisition of
Vince Carter through a
draft day trade in 1998, the team set league attendance records and made the
NBA Playoffs in
2000,
2001, and
2002. Carter was instrumental in leading the team to their first playoff series win in 2001, where they advanced to the Eastern Conference Semifinals. During the
2002–03 and
2003–04 seasons, they failed to make significant progress and he was traded in 2004. After Carter left,
Chris Bosh emerged as the team leader, but they continued to struggle. However, with the appointment of
Bryan Colangelo as
General Manager and a revamp of the roster for the
2006–07 season, they qualified for their
first playoff berth in five years and captured their first division title.
Franchise history
Creation of the Raptors
The Toronto Raptors were established on
30 September,
1993 when the NBA, as part of its expansion into
Canada, awarded its 28th
franchise to a group headed by Toronto businessman
John Bitove. The Raptors, along with the
Vancouver Grizzlies, played their first games in 1995, and were the first NBA teams to play in Canada since the
1946–47 Toronto Huskies. As a result, a nationwide contest was held to help name the team and develop their colours and logo. Over 2,000 entries were narrowed down to ten prospects: Beavers, Bobcats, Dragons, Grizzlies, Hogs, Raptors, Scorpions, T-Rex, Tarantulas, and Terriers. and before the inaugural season began, sales of Raptors merchandise ranked seventh in the league, marking a successful return of professional basketball to Canada. while Stoudamire recorded 10 points and 10 assists in a 94–79 victory over the
New Jersey Nets. The Raptors concluded their inaugural season with a 21–61 win-loss record, who set an all-time NBA best 72–10 win–loss regular season record. With averages of 19.0
points and 9.3
assists per game, Stoudamire also won the
1995–96 Rookie of the Year Award.
In the
1996–97 season the team improved on its win record by nine games. They selected
centre Marcus Camby with the second overall pick in the
1996 NBA Draft. By the end of the season, Camby earned a berth on the NBA's All-Rookie Team while Stoudamire continued to play well, averaging 20.2 points and 8.8 assists per game. The Raptors also defeated the
Houston Rockets,
Utah Jazz and
Miami Heat, all of whom were eventual Conference finalists. However, the Raptors struggled against teams who were not of championship calibre, including three losses to the 15–67
Boston Celtics. GM Isiah Thomas resigned after his ownership bid for the Raptors failed and was replaced by
Glen Grunwald. With Thomas gone, Stoudamire immediately sought a trade. On
13 February 1998, he was shipped to the
Portland Trailblazers along with
Walt Williams and
Carlos Rogers for
Kenny Anderson,
Alvin Williams,
Gary Trent, two first-round draft choices, a second-round draft choice and cash.
During the
1998 NBA Draft, in what became a defining move for the franchise, Grunwald traded the team's 4th overall pick
Antawn Jamison to the
Golden State Warriors for
Vince Carter, who was selected 5th overall. To bring further credibility to the Raptors, Grunwald traded Camby to the
New York Knicks for
Charles Oakley, a veteran with
playoff experience.
Kevin Willis, another veteran acquired from the trade, solidified the centre position, while the coaching staff temporarily rotated Dee Brown, Alvin Williams and
Doug Christie to play point guard. Both Christie and Williams became talented players in their own right; Christie developed into one of the elite defenders in the NBA, In the backcourt, Butch Carter rotated Carter, Christie, Williams and
Dell Curry at the
shooting guard position and Williams and
Muggsy Bogues at point guard. The rotation of Davis, Oakley and Willis in the frontcourt and Carter's and McGrady's improvement helped the team make its first ever
playoff appearance, fulfilling a promise Carter had made to fans in the previous season. Lacking significant post-season experience, Toronto was defeated 3–0 by the
New York Knicks in the first round.
Still, playoff failures and Butch Carter's media altercations surrounding Camby led Grunwald to replace Carter prior to the
2000–01 season with
Lenny Wilkens, a
Hall of Fame coach and player with more than 30 years of coaching experience. The team roster was also largely revamped, including the signing of veteran playmaker
Mark Jackson on a four year contract. When Alvin Williams later emerged as a
clutch performer, Jackson was traded to allow Williams more playing time.
As predicted by analysts, the team easily secured a
playoff berth. Toronto defeated New York 3–2 in the first round, and Wilkens was praised for having Williams defend shooting guard
Allan Houston and Carter defend small forward
Latrell Sprewell, the two major Knicks offensive threats. The next series against the
Philadelphia 76ers was a landmark for the Raptors in terms of performance and entertainment value. The Sixers relied on
Allen Iverson and
Dikembe Mutombo for their respective offensive and defensive abilities, along with steady help from
Aaron McKie. Toronto was the more balanced team with Carter, Williams and Davis providing much of the offensive game and
Chris Childs and Jerome Williams providing the defensive pressure. Philadelphia took full advantage of the mismatch at centre while Toronto counteracted with a
fast break offence with their shorter but quicker players. The series came down to the last few seconds of Game 7, when Carter's potential series-winning shot rolled off the rim. Carter was later widely criticized for attending his graduation ceremony at the
University of North Carolina on the morning of Game 7. Despite the loss, the season is generally considered a watermark for the franchise, given the Raptors' best ever regular season record (47–35),
The relocation of the Vancouver Grizzlies to
Memphis,
Tennessee in 2001 left Toronto as the NBA's only Canadian team. To ensure that Vince Carter would re-sign with the team, long-term contracts were given to Alvin Williams, Jerome Williams and Antonio Davis, while former
NBA MVP centre Hakeem Olajuwon was signed to provide Carter with good support. The Raptors appeared to be on their way to another competitive season, with a 29–21 record going into the
All-Star break Detroit also won Game 2, but Toronto won the next two games at home to force a deciding and tightly contested Game 5 in Detroit. instead of passing to a wide-open Dell Curry. In a post-game locker room interview, Childs repeatedly insisted that the Raptors had been down four points, not three. The Raptors' late-season surge was thus marred by a disappointing playoff exit; the Olajuwon experiment was also a bust, with the 39-year-old averaging career lows in minutes, points and rebounds. Furthermore, Childs, Clark, and Curry left the team, ensuring a new-look team for the next season.
2002–2006: Another period of struggle
The
2002–03 season began with the same optimism that the Raptors exhibited in three consecutive playoff seasons, although it faded early. Carter, while voted as a starter in the
2003 All-Star Game, Furthermore, the Raptors recorded the dubious honour of being the only team in NBA history to not dress 12 players for a single game in a season. with his loss total getting dangerously close to his win total. The Raptors ended the season with a 24–58 record and Wilkens was sacked. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise, when the Raptors were given the 4th overall pick in the
2003 NBA Draft and brought another star to Toronto in
Chris Bosh.
Canadian
country singer
Shania Twain helped launch the new red Raptors alternate road uniform at the start of the
2003–04 season, and the jerseys made their debut in a 90–87 season-opening victory on
29 October,
2003 against the defending Conference Champion
New Jersey Nets. After 50 games, Toronto was 25–25 and in a position to make the
playoffs, but injuries to key players again sent the Raptors plummeting down the standings. Rose, Carter, and Williams all suffered injuries as the Raptors struggled to a record of 8–24 in their remaining games. In this transitionary season, the Raptors improved their regular season record to 33–49. He was replaced by
Sam Mitchell, a former NBA forward and assistant coach of the
Milwaukee Bucks.
Rob Babcock was named GM on
7 June,
2004, alongside the appointments of
Wayne Embry as senior advisor and
Alex English as director of player development.
In the
2004–05 season, the team moved into the
Atlantic Division. Babcock picked
Rafael Araújo — selected eighth overall — in the
2004 NBA Draft, in a move that was criticized by fans and analysts. Franchise player Carter demanded a trade during the offseason which finally came to fruition mid-season, ending his six-year tenure. During the trade, Carter acknowledged he hadn't tried his hardest in the past few seasons. Toronto received
Alonzo Mourning, forwards
Eric Williams and
Aaron Williams and two mid-to-late future first round picks from the
New Jersey Nets. Mourning chose to not report to Toronto, forcing Babcock to buy out the remainder of his contract at a reported $10 million, leaving him free to sign with the
Miami Heat. Eric and Aaron Williams were supposed to add defensive toughness and rebounding, but were generally under-utilized for the entire season. Analysts had predicted Babcock got the bad end of the deal, and the trade eventually cost him his job.
Carter's departure heralded a new era for Toronto. Bosh stepped up to the role of franchise player and performed well in his campaign, ranking tenth in the league in defensive rebounds. Although the ACC was often well attended, due to the Raptors' 22–19 home record, their inability to win on the road (11–30) and poor defensive record made Sam Mitchell's first year as head coach unimpressive. Additionally, Mitchell had problems dealing with
Rafer Alston, who openly expressed his unhappiness with Mitchell in a post-game interview. Later in the season, Alston was suspended two games for "conduct detrimental to the team" for reportedly walking out of a scrimmage during practice. Notwithstanding the unrest, in their first season competing in the
Atlantic Division, Toronto maintained the same regular season record of 33–49 as the previous season. The Raptors started their training camp by trading Alston to the
Houston Rockets for
Mike James, and signing free agent
José Calderón as a backup for James. Despite the infusion of new players, Toronto's overall
2005–06 season was a disappointment; they set a franchise record by losing their first nine games and 15 out of their first 16 games. With losses mounting and media scrutiny intensifying, the Raptors hired legendary ex-
Purdue coach
Gene Keady as an assistant off the bench to help develop the young Raptors team, as well as establish a defensive persona for the team.
On
15 January 2006, the Raptors set a franchise points record in a 129–103 win over the Knicks when Villanueva hit a three-pointer late in the game, but less than a week later, the Raptors gave up an 18-point lead against the
Los Angeles Lakers, and allowed Lakers star
Kobe Bryant to score 81 points, the second highest single-game total in NBA history. With media scrutiny intensifying once more and the Raptors entrenched at the bottom of the league in defensive
field goal percentage, Toronto fired GM Rob Babcock.
The 2005–06 season wasn't a total disaster. Villanueva's play impressed both fans and former critics as he came in second in
NBA Rookie of the Year and recorded 48 points in an
overtime loss to the
Milwaukee Bucks, the most points scored by any rookie in franchise history and the most by a rookie in the NBA since 1997. Bosh was also named a reserve forward for the Eastern All-Star Team in the
2006 game, Known for his success in transforming a lottery Phoenix team into a 62-win offensive juggernaut, his hiring gave hope to many fans. Still, Toronto ended the season weakly when Bosh suffered a season-ending thumb injury. The Raptors lost 10 in a row after Bosh's injury and finished the season with the fifth worst record (27–55) in the NBA.
2006–present: Return to the playoffs
The
2006–07 season represented a watershed year for the Raptors franchise. The roster was overhauled, including the selection of
2006 NBA Draft number one pick
Andrea Bargnani, the acquisition of point guard
T.J. Ford in exchange for Charlie Villanueva, and the signing of shooting guard
Anthony Parker and small forward
Jorge Garbajosa. Bosh was given a three-year contract extension,
The first half of the season produced mixed results as Toronto struggled towards the .500 mark. However, Toronto ended the regular season with a 47–35 record, securing the third seed in the Eastern Conference for the
2007 NBA Playoffs along with the Atlantic Division title, as well as homecourt advantage for the first time in franchise history. Bosh recorded career-highs in ppg and rpg The Raptors were also praised for their improved defense, ball-sharing and tremendous team chemistry. Colangelo, Gherardini and Mitchell were credited with Toronto's turnaround this season, which was one of the best in NBA history in terms of league standing and defensive ranking. Mitchell was subsequently named the 2006–07
NBA Coach of the Year, the first coach in Raptors history to receive the honour, while Colangelo was named 2006–07 Executive of the Year. On
24 April 2007, the Raptors won their first playoff game in five seasons, with an 89–83 victory over the New Jersey Nets, but lost the series 4–2.
Several changes to the roster were made before the
2007–08 campaign as Toronto sought to reproduce the same form as the previous campaign. The Raptors acquired
Giorgos Printezis in the
2007 NBA Draft, signed
Carlos Delfino,
Jamario Moon,
Maceo Baston and three-point specialist
Jason Kapono. On the other hand, veteran
swingman Morris Peterson joined the
New Orleans Hornets and
Luke Jackson was waived. Despite being defending division champions, the Raptors were widely tipped as outside contenders for the division and conference titles. Bargnani's inability to play well consistently, coupled with injuries to Garbajosa (75 games), Bosh (15 games) and Ford (31 games) derailed the possibility of a smooth campaign as the Raptors chalked up six wins less than the previous season. The Raptors ceded the division title to Boston, and qualified for the
2008 NBA Playoffs as the sixth seed where they were pitted against the
Orlando Magic, but were eliminated in five games. Whereas the preceding season was considered a success, the 2007–08 campaign was considered a disappointment. Weaknesses in Toronto's game—rebounding, defence, and a lack of a swingman—were brought to sharp focus during the playoffs, and speculation was rife that big changes would be made to the roster. Following the success of the 2006–07 season, Toronto became one of the league leaders in season ticket sales for the 2007–08 season.
The value of the Raptors franchise has risen over the years. With the continued popularity of the Raptors, the value of the franchise rose from US$125 million in 1998 to $315 million in 2006 and $373 million in 2007, according to reports by
Forbes. The Raptors are also the only NBA team with their own television station,
Raptors NBA TV. Their television ratings, however, are considerably lower than other more established Toronto sports teams and other sporting events shown on Canadian television.
On game day, the fans are usually entertained by the Raptor
mascot, the Raptors Dance Pak, and the 4 Korners Raptors Soundcrew during pre-game,
time-outs, and intervals. Giveaways are usually bundled with tickets to encourage attendance.
Community service
The Raptors
Foundation is the charitable arm of the Raptors, dedicated to assisting
Ontario’s registered
charities that support programs and sports initiatives for at-risk children and youth. The Foundation strives to lift spirits and change lives for young people by supporting local and provincial organizations that provide recreational, educational and other youth-oriented activities. Through its community ties and with the help of its corporate partners, donors, Raptors players and volunteers, the Foundation has successfully raised more than $14 million between 1995 and 2007, and reached out to thousands of charities. The Raptors Foundation is one of three parts of the Raptors' community service program. The other projects are Raptors Community Relations and Raptors Basketball Development, both of which focus on providing basketball development programs. The Toronto Raptors lead the NBA for amount of money donated to the community.
Franchise and NBA records
Season-by-season records
Home arenas
Players
Current roster
Notable former players
» For the complete list of Toronto Raptors players see: Toronto Raptors all-time roster.
For the players drafted by Toronto Raptors, see: Toronto Raptors draft history.
Vince Carter — Raptors' all-time leading scorer; five All-Star selections as a Raptor; NBA Slam Dunk champion. one-time highest-paid Raptor and highest-paid professional athlete in Toronto.
Damon Stoudamire — First-ever draft pick and the Raptors' first franchise player; recorded the first triple-double in Raptors history.Staff
Head coaches
1995–1996: Brendan Malone
1996–Feb 1998: Darrell Walker
Feb 1998–2000: Butch Carter
2000–2003: Lenny Wilkens
2003–2004: Kevin O'Neill
2004–present: Sam Mitchell
General managers
1995–March 1998: Isiah Thomas
March 1998–April 2004: Glen Grunwald
April 2004–June 2004 (Interim): Jack McCloskey
June 2004–January 2006: Rob Babcock
January 2006–February 2006 (Interim): Wayne Embry
2006–present: Bryan Colangelo
TV commentators
John Saunders (Play-by-play, 1995–2001)
Chuck Swirsky (Play-by-play, 2001–2008)
Rod Black (Play-by-play, 1995–2005, CTV, and TSN)
Jack Armstrong (Colour, Raptors NBA TV, and Rogers Sportsnet)
Leo Rautins (Colour, 1995–present, CTV, Rogers Sportsnet, The Score, and TSN)
Further Information
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