Toronto Raptors

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Toronto Raptors
Toronto Raptors logo
Conference Eastern
Division Atlantic
Founded 1995
History Toronto Raptors
(1995–present)
Arena Air Canada Centre
City Toronto, Ontario
Team Colors Red, Black, and White
Owner Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd.
Head Coach Sam Mitchell
Championships 0
Conference Titles 0
Division Titles 0

The Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, owned by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd. The Raptors came into existence along with the Vancouver Grizzlies in 1994 as part of the National Basketball Association's (NBA) expansion into Canada. However, the Grizzlies moved to Memphis, Tennessee in 2001, leaving the Raptors as the only NBA team in Canada today.[1] The Raptors endured the woes characteristic of many expansion teams and struggled in their early years. However, after the acquisition of Vince Carter through a draft day trade in 1998, they saw success, enjoying record league attendances and making the NBA Playoffs in 2000, 2001, and 2002. Their best achievement to date was in 2001 when they earned their only playoff series win and advanced to the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Carter was traded away in 2004 and the team is currently led by All-Star Chris Bosh, who has led the Raptors to their first playoffs berth in five years in the current 2006-07 NBA season.

Contents

[edit] Home arenas

Air Canada Centre (1999–present)
Skydome (1995–1999)

[edit] Franchise history (by seasons)

Isiah Thomas, the team's first GM, unveils the Raptor's logo in 1994.
Isiah Thomas, the team's first GM, unveils the Raptor's logo in 1994.

The Toronto Raptors were established on 30 September, 1993 when the NBA awarded its 28th franchise to a group headed by Toronto businessman John Bitove.[2] The Raptors along with the Vancouver Grizzlies played their first games in 1995. Both teams were the first NBA teams to play in Canada since 1946–47's Toronto Huskies.[2]

The Raptors were so named as a result of a "Name Game" contest which was instituted nationwide to name the team and develop team colours and a logo. The "Name Game" generated more than 2000 entries and the final top-10 list was dominated by animal names such as Beavers, Hogs and Bobcats.[2] On 15 May, 1994, the team's new moniker, the Toronto Raptors, was unveiled on Canadian national television.[2] The team's logo and its first General Manager Isiah Thomas, were unveiled on 24 May, 1994.[2] Between seasons 1994-95 to 2003-04, the Raptors would compete in the Central Division,[3] before competing under the Atlantic Division from 2004-05 onwards.

[edit] 1995-96

The Skydome — now the Rogers Centre — was the original arena for the Raptors between 1995–1999.
The Skydome — now the Rogers Centre — was the original arena for the Raptors between 1995–1999.

Isiah Thomas quickly staffed the management with his own personnel, naming longtime Detroit Pistons assistant Brendan Malone the franchise's first head coach.[2] During the summer of 1995, the league had an expansion draft to fill out the rosters of the new Toronto Raptors and Vancouver Grizzlies. As a result of a coin flip, the Raptors had the first pick of the expansion draft, and selected Chicago Bulls point guard and three-point specialist BJ Armstrong. In a move that would be a constant theme throughout Toronto's history, Armstrong threatened not to come to camp and Thomas promptly moved him to the Golden State Warriors for power forwards Carlos Rogers and Victor Alexander and the rights to 1995 second-round draft picks Dwayne Whitfield, Martin Lewis and Michael McDonald.[2] Thomas then selected a wide range of players in the expansion draft, including veterans Jerome Kersey, Willie Anderson and former Pistons teammate John "Spider" Salley.[2]

As Toronto had selected first in the expansion draft, they subsequently selected after the Vancouver Grizzles in the 1995 NBA entry draft. Thomas chose to build the franchise around Damon Stoudamire, a point guard out of Arizona. The selection of Stoudamire was met with boos from fans present at the 1995 NBA Draft at SkyDome in Toronto, many of whom had bought into the hype surrounding NCAA Final Four MVP, UCLA's Ed O'Bannon.[2] However, the selection of Stoudamire proved to be a solid choice as he was later named the 1995-96 Rookie of the Year while averaging 19 points and 9.3 assists per game.[4]

Although the Raptors were one of the teams which defeated the 72-10 Chicago Bulls (an NBA record that still stands),[5] they ended their inaugural season with a regular season record of 21-61 (21 wins and 61 losses)[3] and pre-season record of 3-5.

[edit] 1996-97

The team's win record improved by nine games from its inaugural season and attendance was rising. Due to NBA regulations, the Raptors as a recent expansion team won the draft lottery but were denied the first overall pick (who turned out to be Allen Iverson) and selected Marcus Camby who was drafted second overall in the 1996 NBA Draft.[6] Camby earned a berth on the NBA's All-Rookie Team while Damon Stoudamire ran the Raptors' offence, finishing sixth in the league in assists (8.8 APG (assists per game)) and 19th in scoring (20.2 PPG (points per game)).[2] In a similar vein to the previous season, the Raptors were one of only 11 teams to topple the eventual 1997 Champions, the Chicago Bulls.[6] The Raptors also defeated each of the three other eventual conference finalists — Houston Rockets, Utah Jazz and Miami Heat.[6] Yet, the Raptors had problems with teams that were not of championship calibre, including three losses to the 15-67 Boston Celtics.[6] Overall, the Raptors improved their regular season record to 30-52;[7] its pre-season record was 2-6.

[edit] 1997-98

The Raptors began with a 4-4 pre-season record, but much optimism evaporated when the team was hit by numerous injuries early in the 1997-98 season and slumped to a 17-game losing streak.[8] And although Thomas was a Hall of Fame point guard and skilled evaluator of talent (as evidenced by his selections of Stoudamire, Camby and Tracy McGrady in the 1997 NBA Draft), his failed ownership bid for the Raptors led to his resignation.[9] The Raptors were thus off to a rocky start.

Glen Grunwald, a lawyer and former All-American basketball player was hired as his replacement. With the exit of Thomas, Stoudamire immediately sought a trade.[10] On 13 February, 1998, Toronto's first "franchise player" was thus shipped to 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.[8] Kenny Anderson refused to report to Toronto and was subsequently traded to the Boston Celtics on 18 February with Zan Tabak and Popeye Jones for Chauncey Billups, Dee Brown, Roy Rogers and John Thomas.[8] Following the trading deadline, the Raptors became the youngest team in the league with an average age of 24.6.[8] They also had five rookies on its roster, including the 18-year-old Tracy McGrady, the youngest player in the NBA at that time.[8]

With this lineup, the Raptors' regular season record regressed by 14 wins from the previous season[11] and Grunwald faced the unhappy fans on the last game of the season at Maple Leaf Gardens promising better days for Raptors fans. In what would be a defining move for the franchise, Grunwald subsequently traded his 4th overall pick Antawn Jamison to the Golden State Warriors for Vince Carter, who was selected 5th overall in the 1998 NBA Draft.[12]

[edit] 1998-99

To bring credibilty to the Raptors, Grunwald traded Camby to the New York Knicks for Charles Oakley,[13] a veteran whose tough mentality and playoff experience helped the maturity of the young players. Oakley's leadership proved crucial to the success of the 1998-99 Raptors. The coaching staff temporarily solved the lack of a true point guard by rotating Dee Brown, Alvin Williams and Doug Christie to play the position. This was a beneficial move as Christie greatly refined his defensive game and became one of the elite defenders in the NBA.[13] Williams also showed improvement on the offensive end. Kevin Willis, another veteran acquired from trade, solidified the centre position.

New coach Butch Carter was credited with much of the team's turnaround during the season, and he also helped develop the young players on the team, especially future All-Star Tracy McGrady. Although the team did not make the playoffs, many were optimistic with the impressive performances of Rookie of the Year Vince Carter[12] and a much improved McGrady. Moreover, while the Raptors ended the season with a winning percentage of .460, this was their most successful season yet.[13] The Raptors thus ended the lockout-shortened season with a regular season record of 23-27[14] and a pre-season record of 2-0.

[edit] 1999-2000

The Raptors moved to the Air Canada Centre in 1999.
The Raptors moved to the Air Canada Centre in 1999.

Grunwald decided that the solution to the Raptors' lack of experience and a strong frontcourt presence would have to come from mature veteran players. He also knew that the aging Willis and Oakley would eventually have to play fewer minutes or risk injury. During the 1999 draft, he traded first-round draft pick Jonathan Bender for veteran power forward Antonio Davis from the Indiana Pacers.[15] 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 the maturation of both Carter and McGrady helped the team make its first ever playoff appearance, fulfilling a promise Carter had made to the fans in the previous season.[16] However, without significant playoff experience, the Raptors were swept 0-3 by the New York Knicks.[16]

Nonetheless, progressive team improvements and the ascendancy of Carter — who won the 2000 NBA Slam Dunk Contest emphatically[12] — attracted many fans around Toronto, many of whom were not previously basketball fans. This was also the first full season at the Air Canada Centre, after four years of games at the cavernous SkyDome.[16] Overall, the Raptors enjoyed a regular season record of 45-37, finishing third in the Central Division,[17] and a pre-season record of 4-4.

[edit] 2000-01

Morris Peterson, currently the longest-serving Raptor, was selected in the 2000 NBA Draft. This "Mo-Pete" figurine was commemoratively distributed in 2006-07.
Morris Peterson, currently the longest-serving Raptor, was selected in the 2000 NBA Draft. This "Mo-Pete" figurine was commemoratively distributed in 2006-07.

Playoff failures (and Butch Carter's media altercations surrounding Marcus Camby) led Grunwald to replace Carter with Lenny Wilkens, who was a Hall of Fame coach and player with more than 30 years of coaching experience.[18] In addition, the team finally found a true point guard, when Grunwald signed veteran playmaker Mark Jackson to a 4-year contract with the team.[19] The season also marked the emergence of Alvin Williams as a clutch performer, who scored three quarters of his points in the 4th quarter during regular season. Jackson was later traded to give more minutes for Williams.[19]

As Vince Carter familiarized himself with the shooting guard position and played less time at small forward, Christie became expendable and was traded for forward Corliss Williamson.[19] However, he was a disappointment and was traded during the season for defensive workhorse Jerome Williams.[19] The loss of former star small forward Tracy McGrady was also a factor in the Williamson trade. Although McGrady and Carter showed impressive improvement at the same time, much of the media and fan attention was focused on Carter, who was the flashier player. Furthermore, McGrady and Carter shared the same natural position (small forward), making it impossible to keep both. Therefore, the Raptors management decided to trade McGrady to the Orlando Magic during the 2000-01 offseason for a first-round draft pick in a sign-and-trade deal.[20]

As predicted by analysts, the team clinched a playoff berth without much difficulty. Toronto beat New York 3-2 in the first round.[19] Wilkens was credited for having Williams defend shooting guard Allan Houston and Carter defend small forward Latrell Sprewell, the two major offensive threats of the Knicks.

The next series against the Philadelphia 76ers was a landmark for the Toronto Raptors: exciting, entertaining play, and the best playoff performance so far. The Sixers relied on Allen Iverson and Dikembe Mutombo for their respective offensive and defensive abilities, along with steady help from Aaron McKie and other teammates. 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 whereas Toronto counteracted with a fast-break offence with their shorter but quicker players. The series came down to the last four seconds of Game 7, when Vince Carter narrowly missed a fadeaway jumper hitting the back rim, losing the series by 1 point.[19] Carter was widely criticized for attending his graduation ceremony at the University of North Carolina on the morning of Game 7.[21][22] Despite the loss, the season is generally considered the high watermark for the franchise, given the Raptors' best ever regular season record (47-35),[19] and finishing second in the Central Division.[23] Its pre-season record was 4-4.

[edit] 2001-02

The Raptors' exciting playoff performance attracted even more fans and put unprecedented trust from the owners on Grunwald. In an attempt to satisfy Vince Carter so that he would re-sign with the team, long-term contracts were given to Alvin Williams, Jerome Williams and Antonio Davis, while former NBA MVP center Hakeem Olajuwon was signed to provide Carter with a good supporting cast.[24] Although the team was guaranteed a strong starting line-up for one season, it was a dangerous gamble as overall player salary almost reached the cap, making significant free agent signing impossible. Expiring contracts had also been traded away, so unless the Raptors succeeded with their 2001-02 lineup, it was unlikely they would remain a very competitive team.

The Raptors were seemingly on their way to another competitive season, with a 29-21 record going into the All-Star break.[24] For the third consecutive year, Carter was the top vote-getter for the All-Star game.[12] Unfortunately, Carter was hit with another bout of "jumper's knee" (tendinitis) that forced him to sit out the All-Star game and the rest of the season.[24] Without their franchise player, the Raptors went through a horrific stretch where they went on a 13-game losing streak.[24] Just as their season seemed lost, they were able to win 12 of their last 14 games, clinching a playoff spot on the last day of the regular season.[24] This remarkable comeback was characterized by some of the Raptors' best defensive games of the season, along with inspired performances by Antonio Davis and Keon Clark.

However, Carter's offence was sorely missed in the first-round series against the second-seeded Detroit Pistons. In the first game, Detroit blew out Toronto 83-65 behind Ben Wallace's stellar performance of 19 points, 20 rebounds, 3 blocks and 3 steals.[25] After falling behind 0-2, Toronto won the next two games at home to force a deciding Game 5 in Detroit.[24]

Game 5 was tightly contested until the very end, despite a poor 5-point (1-of-10 from the field) performance from Detroit's leading scorer Jerry Stackhouse. With nearly ten seconds left in the game, the Raptors were down 85-82 with possession of the ball. Chris Childs raced down the court and jacked up a wild three-pointer that missed badly, apparently trying to draw a foul on the play, instead of passing to a wide-open Dell Curry (Toronto's best 3-point gunner). In a post-game locker room interview, Childs repeatedly insisted that the Raptors had been down 4 points, not 3. If the Raptors' late-season resurrection was a "miraculous comeback", then their subsequent playoff exit had to be a colossal disappointment. Unfortunately, the Hakeem Olajuwon experiment had been a bust, with the 39 year old Olajuwon averaging career lows in minutes, points and rebounds.[26] And key components of the team's limited success left through free agency or retirement: Chris Childs, Keon Clark, and Dell Curry. It was clear that the Raptors would be a very different team the next season.

The Raptors' regular season record was 42-40,[27] while its pre-season record 5-2.

[edit] 2002-03

The 2002-03 season began with the same optimism that the Raptors furnished in three straight playoff appearances, notwithstanding the pre-season record of 3-5. GM Glen Grunwald acquired guard Lindsey Hunter from the Los Angeles Lakers, and forward Lamond Murray from the Cleveland Cavaliers.

However, right from the beginning of the season that optimism was lost: Carter, although voted as a starter in the 2003 All-Star Game,[12] went through a series of injuries, Antonio Davis started to express disinterest in Toronto and Wilkens' laissez-faire attitude created a team that lacked the motivation and spirit of the previous years' teams. The team was ravaged with injuries, losing an NBA record number of player games due to injury.[28] The Raptors also recorded the dubious distinction as being the only team in NBA history to not dress 12 players for a single game in a season.[28]

In fact, from day one, the Toronto media went straight for the jugular when it came to coach Wilkens, chastizing him for his inability — or, perhaps, unwillingness — to really clamp down on his players when he had to. This was the year that Wilkens overtook Bill Fitch for the lead in most losses by a NBA coach,[29] with his loss total getting dangerously close to his win total. At the end of the disastrous season (regular season record of 24-58),[30] Wilkens was unceremoniously dumped, ending a three-year stint with the team that started with so much promise but ended with too much disappointment. However, this would eventually transform into the 4th overall pick in the 2003 draft and bring another star to the Raptors: Chris Bosh.

[edit] 2003-04

Canadian country singer Shania Twain helped launch the new red Raptors alternate road uniform at the start of this season.[31] The jerseys made their debut in a 90-87 season-opening victory on 29 October, 2003 against the defending Conference Champion New Jersey Nets.[31] However, the Raptors were inconsistent throughout 2003-04, partly due to injuries to key players Jalen Rose, Alvin Williams and Vince Carter, with Antonio Davis and Jerome Williams traded early in the season for Rose and Donyell Marshall. On 1 November, 2003 the Raptors tied a NBA record for fewest points scored in a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, crashing 56-73.[31]

After 50 games though, the Raptors were 25-25 and in position to make the playoffs. This was when the injuries to key players sent the Raptors plummeting down the standings. Jalen Rose (fracture in left hand, missed 16 games), Vince Carter (sprain in left ankle, missed 6 games), and Alvin Williams (knee surgery, 25 games) all fell victim as the club limped to a record of 8-24 the rest of the way.[31] The Raptors subsequently fired GM Glen Grunwald on 1 April, 2004,[31] after the team ended the season three games short of the eighth and final playoff spot. The star individual performers were Carter, with 22.5 PPG, Donyell Marshall, who led the team with 10.7 RPG (rebounds per game), and rookie Chris Bosh, a 6-10 forward-centre who averaged 11.5 PPG and 7.4 RPG and was named to the NBA All-Rookie Team.[32]

Immediately following the sacking of Grunwald, on 17 April, 2004, head coach Kevin O'Neill was fired after making some remarks which were taken to question the team's commitment to winning.[33] He was replaced with Sam Mitchell, a former NBA forward who had been an assistant coach of the Milwaukee Bucks the previous two seasons.[34] Rob Babcock was named General Manager on 7 June, 2004, alongside the appointments of Wayne Embry as senior advisor and Alex English as director of player development.[35]

Overall, the Raptors improved on their regular season record from the previous season to 33-49,[31] while posting 5-2 in pre-season games.

[edit] 2004-05

Since the trade of Vince Carter in 2005, Chris Bosh has been the face of the Raptors franchise.
Since the trade of Vince Carter in 2005, Chris Bosh has been the face of the Raptors franchise.

With an almost completely new management team, it was evident that restructuring of the organization was in operation. One of Babcock's first moves was to pick Rafael Araújo — selected 8th overall — in the 2004 NBA Draft. This move was not received well by fans and analysts.[36]

Soon after, franchise player Vince Carter demanded a trade during the off season.[37] The eventual trade of Carter finally came to fruition mid-season, ending his seven-year tenure with the team. Upon his trade, Carter even admitted to not pushing himself as hard as he should have for the past few seasons.[38] After three seasons of mediocre regular season records, the departure of Carter firmly placed the Raptors at the threshold of a new era.

In return for Carter, the Raptors received former All-Star Alonzo Mourning, forwards Eric Williams and Aaron Williams, and two mid-to-late future first round picks from the New Jersey Nets (Joey Graham, picked 16th overall in the 2005 NBA Draft). Mourning chose to not report to Toronto, forcing Babcock to buy out the remainder of his contract[39] at a reported $10 million, leaving Mourning free to sign with the Miami Heat, where he had spent seven years of his career prior. Eric and Aaron Williams were believed to be able to add defensive toughness and rebounding; however, they saw few minutes, and were generally under-utilized for the entire season. Analysts had predicted GM Babcock got the bad end of the deal,[40] and his moves in the transfer market would eventually cost him his job.

After the Carter trade, Chris Bosh stepped up to take the helm of franchise player,[41] and performed admirably in his sophomore campaign; he ranked tenth in the league in defensive rebounds for the season.[32] However, in contrast to Bosh's emergence, rookie first round draft pick Rafael Araújo struggled to keep a spot in the line-up, and became unpopular among fans and the local media.[42]

The Raptors' inability to win on the road (11-30) and generally poor defense made Sam Mitchell's first year as head coach unimpressive. Nonetheless, the home fans were generally entertained as the team managed to thrive off the well attended Air Canada Centre putting up a record of 22-19 at home.[43] Coach Mitchell was also mired in controversies off the court. Point guard Rafer Alston, in a post-game interview, contemplated retiring after a tough loss as he continued to butt heads with Mitchell.[44] Later in the season, Alston was suspended two games for "conduct detrimental to the team" for reportedly walking out of a scrimmage practice.[45]

In its first season in the Atlantic Division, the Raptors had the same regular season record of 33-49[41] as the previous season, and were 3-5 in pre-season.

[edit] 2005-06

Raptors v. Sixers, 19 December 2005.
Raptors v. Sixers, 19 December 2005.

The Raptors' 2005-06 season was a disappointment, following its pre-season record of 3-5. They lost 15 out of their first 16 games,[46] and finished last in the league in defensive field goal percentage.[47] One of the lowest points of the season came in a game when the team 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.[48]

In the 2005 NBA Draft, the Raptors selected Charlie Villanueva (7th overall) out of Connecticut and Joey Graham (16th overall) out of Oklahoma State. In the second round, they selected Roko Ukic (41st overall) out of KK Split (Croatia) and Uros Slokar (58th overall) out of Snaidero Udine (Italy). The Raptors' high selection of a player ranked much lower in the draft (Villanueva) caused a stir amongst basketball pundits and Raptors fans alike.[49] As it were, Villanueva's play impressed both fans and former critics alike, more than justifying his selection number. He was among the top performers of the season out of his draft class, coming in second in NBA Rookie of the Year voting to Chris Paul.[50]

Matt Bonner signing autographs prior to a game.
Matt Bonner signing autographs prior to a game.

After a quiet offseason, the Raptors started their training camp by trading Rafer Alston to the Houston Rockets for Mike James. To back up starting point guard James, the Raptors signed free agent José Calderón, who had played the last six seasons in Spain. However, the Raptors lost Donyell Marshall to free agency and released Lamond Murray.

The Raptors started the 2005-06 season with a home loss against the Washington Wizards. The Raptors went on to set a franchise record by losing their first nine games of the season.[51] The losing streak ended with a surprisingly decisive victory over eventual Champions Miami Heat (albeit minus Shaquille O'Neal). With losses mounting and media scrutiny intensifying, Raptors management hired legendary ex-Purdue coach Gene Keady as an assistant off the bench, helping develop the young nucleus of Raptors as well as establishing a defensive persona for the team.

Raptors v. Nuggets, 10 March 2006.
Raptors v. Nuggets, 10 March 2006.

On 15 January, 2006, the Raptors set a franchise record for points in a game with a 129-103 win over the Knicks when Villanueva hit a 3-pointer late in the game.[52] In contrast, a week later, the Raptors found themselves on the wrong side of history, gaining the dubious distinction of being the team Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant scored 81 points against. With media scrutiny intensifying once more, it was announced on 26 January, that the Raptors had fired GM Rob Babcock.[53] On 2 February, interim GM Wayne Embry traded Jalen Rose, a first round draft pick and cash to the New York Knicks in exchange for the expiring contract of ex-Raptor Antonio Davis to free up the salary cap. Davis was later released on 24 March after suffering a serious back injury.

Days after the Davis-Rose trade, budding superstar Chris Bosh was named a reserve forward for the Eastern All-Star Team in the 2006 game in Houston, Texas.[32] Bosh became the third ever Raptor to suit up in an All-Star Game, following Vince Carter and Antonio Davis.

On 22 February, 2006, Raptors management reportedly finalized a contract that would see Phoenix Suns President/GM Bryan Colangelo as the successor to Babcock. On 27 February, the team named Colangelo, the 2005 NBA Executive of the Year,[54] the President and General Manager of the Raptors.[54] Known for his success in revamping a lottery Phoenix team into a 62-win offensive juggernaut, his hiring gave hope to many fans.

On 26 March, 2006, Villanueva proved his critics wrong again by scoring 48 points in a 9 point 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.[55] This effort also equalled Vince Carter (2000) for the second highest point total in a regular-season game by a Raptor. Earlier in the same game, Chris Bosh suffered a season-ending thumb injury.[56] The Raptors would go on to lose 10 in a row after Bosh's injury[57] and finished the season with the 5th worst record (27-55)[58] heading into the 2006 NBA Draft.

[edit] 2006-07

Toronto Raptors alternate logo
Toronto Raptors alternate logo

The Raptors changed their colour scheme and uniforms for the 2006-07 season, downplaying the original dinosaur logo and removing the purple elements of the team jerseys in favour of the newer "paw-print" logo and the colour red. This was likely the next step in a recent campaign to promote the Raptors as "Canada's team", along with the dropping of "Toronto" from the team's road jerseys and a red repaint of the Air Canada Centre's hardwood floor. However, the beginning of a new era truly began with Toronto jumping five places in the NBA Draft Lottery to win the 1st overall pick. In preparation for their eventual draft choice, the Raptors traded their 2004, 8th overall pick Rafael Araujo to the Utah Jazz for Kris Humphries and Robert Whaley on 8 June, 2006.[59] On 21 June, the Toronto Raptors traded Matt Bonner, Eric Williams and a second round pick in the 2009 NBA Draft to the San Antonio Spurs for Rasho Nesterovic and cash considerations.[60]

Raptors scoreboard showing Chris Bosh, 22 November 2006.
Raptors scoreboard showing Chris Bosh, 22 November 2006.

The Raptors then utilized their 1st overall pick on 28 June to select the 20-year-old Andrea Bargnani out of Italy, making him the first European drafted number one overall.[61] This followed the hiring of Benetton Treviso general manager and European executive guru Maurizio Gherardini as the club’s vice-president of basketball operations and assistant general manager, making him the first European elevated to an NBA executive job.[62] Promising sophomore and small forward Charlie Villanueva was surprisingly traded to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for a true point guard in TJ Ford and cash considerations. Chris Bosh was rewarded with a three year extension worth approximately $60 million (USD), with a player option for a fourth year.[63]

Colangelo continued to surround All-Star Bosh with complementary players. Two-time consecutive Euroleague MVP[64] guard/forward Anthony Parker was signed from Maccabi Tel Aviv. John Salmons was signed from the Philadelphia 76ers, but he backed out of the contract, and he was replaced by the signings of free agent forward Jorge Garbajosa, and free agent guard and former slam dunk champion Fred Jones. Garbajosa, signed to a multi-year contract, is a regular team-mate of Raptors guard Jose Calderon on the Spanish national team. On 29 September, the Toronto Raptors re-signed 11-year veteran Darrick Martin. With this lineup, the Raptors looked to maintain a team of players who could both pass and shoot the ball, but was also stronger defensively than the 2005-06 roster.

Raptors signed two-time Euroleague MVP Anthony Parker for the 2006-07 season, who would become one of the league's top three point shooters.
Raptors signed two-time Euroleague MVP Anthony Parker for the 2006-07 season, who would become one of the league's top three point shooters.

As a showcase of the Raptors' new offensive roster, on 15 October, 2006, the 119 points by Toronto marked the third highest total in a preseason game in franchise history (124, 15 October, 1997 vs. Philadelphia and 120, 14 October, 1995 vs. Philadelphia in Halifax).[65] On 27 October, the Raptors finished the pre-season 7-1; the best record in the league, and a franchise record.

The first half of the 2006-07 season for the Raptors was of mixed results as the team laboured towards the .500 mark. Nonetheless, Bosh was named an All-Star starter in the 2007 NBA All-Star Game on 25 January, 2007. He received the second highest number of votes among all Eastern Conference forwards, bested only by LeBron James.[66] A day later, the Raptors hit the .500 mark for the first time since 2003-04 after defeating the Boston Celtics 96-90 at the ACC.[67] On 2 February, the Raptors went 24-23, the first time since 2001-02 that they had been over the .500 mark this late in a season.[68] In recognition of this run of form, the Raptors won three NBA awards for the month of January 2007: Eastern Conference Player of the Month (Chris Bosh),[69] Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month (Andrea Bargnani)[70] and Eastern Conference Coach of the Month (Sam Mitchell).[71]

A packed ACC in a game against the Milwaukee Bucks on 3 November 2006. The new alternate logo can be seen in the centre of the court.
A packed ACC in a game against the Milwaukee Bucks on 3 November 2006. The new alternate logo can be seen in the centre of the court.

On 4 February, the Raptors' 122-110 home win against the Los Angeles Clippers represented a season-high in points for the Raptors.[72] Three days later, Chris Bosh's career-high performance (41 points) in the win against the Orlando Magic prompted an unprecedented event at the Air Canada Centre — chants of "MVP" by the home fans.[73] This chant was repeated again in the game against Vince Carter's New Jersey Nets on Valentine's Day — to the disbelief of Carter —[74] a game which also saw the Raptors top the Nets and break the franchise records for most number of home wins and highest home winning percentage entering the All-Star break.[75]

After the All-Star break, the Raptors sent the under-utilized Fred Jones to the Portland Trailblazers in exchange for Juan Dixon, a versatile guard, on trade deadline day.[76]

Following a win against the Charlotte Bobcats on 1 April, 2007, the Raptors clinched a playoff berth for the first time in five years.[77] As of 5 April, 2007, the Raptors are leading the Atlantic Division and seeded 3rd in the Eastern Conference, marking one of the biggest turnarounds in NBA history in terms of league standing and defensive ranking.[78] Throughout the season, the Raptors have played solid defense even in the final quarter — a problem which plagued them in previous seasons — and benefitted from all-round contributions from every team member who were all willing to move the basketball around.[79] Calderon, Bargnani, Dixon and Morris Peterson have turned in reliable performances from the bench while TJ Ford and Chris Bosh run the offence with consistent numbers. And in Anthony Parker, the Raptors have one of the league's most versatile players who can both defend and attack.[80][81]

  • Pre-Season Record: 7-1
  • Regular Season Record: 42 wins - 33 losses

[edit] Fanbase

The Raptor Mascot prancing around.
The Raptor Mascot prancing around.

At present, the Toronto Raptors have an excellent, but success-starved fan base. Despite having only one playoff series victory in franchise history, the Raptors continue to draw attendances in the top half of the NBA.[82] The Toronto Raptors are also the only team granted permission to have their own TV Station, Raptors NBA TV. In terms of television ratings however, they are considerably lower than other Toronto sports teams and other sporting events shown on Canadian television.[83]

On game day, the fans are usually entertained by Raptor the Raptors' mascot, the Raptors Dance Pak (the Raptors dance team), and the 4 Korners Raptors Soundcrew during pre-game, time-outs, and intervals. Giveaways are usually bundled with tickets to encourage greater attendance for games.

For the 2006-07 season, the franchise announced the availability of the "Nicholson seats" (two pairs of seats, one pair adjoining each bench to the scorers table) that cost $1500 per game because of their proximity to the team and the basketball court. They are sold out for the season.

[edit] Community service

The Raptors Foundation is the charitable arm of the Raptors, and is 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 since 1995 and reached out to thousands of charities.[84] 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 are focused on providing basketball development programs.

[edit] Raptors accomplishments

Further information: Toronto Raptors' Accomplishments and Records

[edit] Notable individual player records

[edit] Season-by-season records

Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, % = Win-Loss %

Season W L % Playoffs Results
Toronto Raptors
1995-96 21 61 .256    
1996-97 30 52 .366    
1997-98 16 66 .195    
1998-99 23 27 .460    
1999-2000 45 37 .549 Lost First Round New York 3, Toronto 0
2000-01 47 35 .573 Won First Round
Lost Conference Semifinals		 Toronto 3, New York 2
Philadelphia 4, Toronto 3
2001-02 42 40 .512 Lost First Round Detroit 3, Toronto 2
2002-03 24 58 .293    
2003-04 33 49 .402    
2004-05 33 49 .402    
2005-06 27 55 .313    
2006-07† 42 33 .560    
Totals 383 562 .405    
Playoffs 8 12 .400    

† – Season in progress; all stats updated 4 April 2007.

[edit] Notable former players

  • Vince Carter – Raptors' all-time leading scorer; 4 All-Star appearances (a Raptors record); 1999-2000 NBA Slam Dunk champion.[12]
  • Doug Christie – transformed himself into an elite defender and helped push the Raptors playoff campaign; all-time team steals leader.
  • Antonio Davis – all-time team rebounds leader; one-time All-Star while in Toronto; led team to most recent playoff series after Vince Carter suffered season-ending injury.
  • Tracy McGrady – often overshadowed by superstar cousin Vince Carter as a Raptor, McGrady was the team's defensive stopper, and represented the team at the Slam Dunk competition (which was won by Carter) while in Canada; became a perennial All-Star for the Orlando Magic and Houston Rockets.
  • Alvin Robertson – scored first NBA points in Raptors history.[88]
  • Jalen Rose – 1999-2000 Most Improved Player of the year;[89] one-time team leader for the Raptors; one of the Raptors' most gifted scorers; one-time highest paid Raptor and highest paid professional athlete in Toronto.[90]
  • Damon Stoudamire – Raptors' first draft selection and first franchise player; recorded the first triple-double in Raptors history, with 20 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists, against the Seattle Supersonics on 21 November, 1996.[4]
  • Alvin Williams – all-time assist leader; long considered "the heart and soul of the Raptors"; hit arguably the biggest shot in franchise history over New York in the 2001 1st round, sealing the Raptors' first and only playoff series win.
  • Jerome Williams – fan favourite and known as "The Junkyard Dog" (JYD).

[edit] Current roster

Toronto Raptors
Current Roster
Head Coach: Sam Mitchell Flag of United States Edit
F/C 7 Flag of Italy Andrea Bargnani image:injuryicon.jpg (Italy)
PF 4 Flag of United States Chris Bosh* - Captain (Georgia Tech)
PG 8 Flag of Spain José Calderón (Spain)
SG 3 Flag of United States Juan Dixon (Maryland)
PG 11 Flag of United States T.J. Ford* - Co-Captain (Texas)
F 15 Flag of Spain Jorge Garbajosa* image:injuryicon.jpg (Spain)
SF 14 Flag of United States Joey Graham (Oklahoma State)
PF 43 Flag of United States Kris Humphries (Minnesota)
G/F 6 Flag of United States Luke Jackson (Oregon)
PG 2 Flag of United States Darrick Martin (UCLA)
C 12 Flag of Slovenia Rasho Nesterović* (Slovenia)
SG/F 18 Flag of United States Anthony Parker* (Bradley)
G/F 24 Flag of United States Morris Peterson (Michigan State)
F/C 10 Flag of Slovenia Uroš Slokar (Slovenia)
PF 9 Flag of Senegal Pape Sow (Cal State Fullerton)
image:injuryicon.jpg - Denotes Injury Toronto Raptors

* Indicates starter

[edit] List of head coaches

[edit] List of general managers

[edit] List of TV commentators

[edit] See also

[edit] References

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[edit] External links


v • d • e
Toronto Raptors Head Coaches

Malone • Walker • Carter • Wilkens • O'Neill • Mitchell

National Basketball Association (2006–07)
Eastern Conference Western Conference
Atlantic: Boston Celtics - New Jersey Nets - New York Knicks - Philadelphia 76ers - Toronto Raptors Northwest: Denver Nuggets - Minnesota Timberwolves - Portland Trail Blazers - Seattle SuperSonics - Utah Jazz
Central: Chicago Bulls - Cleveland Cavaliers - Detroit Pistons - Indiana Pacers - Milwaukee Bucks Pacific: Golden State Warriors - Los Angeles Clippers - Los Angeles Lakers - Phoenix Suns - Sacramento Kings
Southeast: Atlanta Hawks - Charlotte Bobcats - Miami Heat - Orlando Magic - Washington Wizards Southwest: Dallas Mavericks - Houston Rockets - Memphis Grizzlies - NO/Okla City Hornets - San Antonio Spurs
Miscellaneous
Annual events: Playoffs - Finals - All-Star Game - All-Star Weekend - Rookie Challenge - Three-point Shootout - Skills Challenge - Shooting Stars Competition - Slam Dunk Contest - Draft
Other: Current team rosters - Dress code - Salary Cap - Arenas - D-League - WNBA - WNBA Finals - Europe Live Tour - Larry O'Brien Trophy - 50th Anniversary All-Time Team
v • d • e
Sports teams based in Toronto, Ontario
Baseball MLB: Toronto Blue Jays, IBL: Toronto Maple Leafs Flag of Toronto
Basketball NBA: Toronto Raptors
Football CFL: Toronto Argonauts
Hockey NHL: Toronto Maple Leafs, AHL: Toronto Marlies, OHL: St. Michael's Majors, NWHL: Toronto Aeros
Soccer MLS: Toronto FC, USL W-League: Toronto Inferno, USL Premier Development League: Toronto Lynx
Lacrosse NLL: Toronto Rock, OLA Jr. A: Toronto Beaches
Rugby RCSL: Toronto Xtreme
University Athletics Ryerson Rams · Varsity Blues · York Lions
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