As with most expansion teams, the Raptors struggled in their early years, but after the acquisition ofVince Carter through adraft-day trade in 1998, the franchise set league-attendance records and made theNBA playoffs in2000,2001, and2002. Carter was instrumental in leading the team to their first playoff series win in 2001, where they advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals. During the2002–03 and2003–04 seasons, they failed to make significant progress, and Carter was traded in 2004 to theNew Jersey Nets.
After Carter's departure,Chris Bosh emerged as the team leader. For the2006–07 season,Bryan Colangelo was appointed as general manager, and through a combination of Bosh, 2006 first overall draft pickAndrea Bargnani, and a revamp of the roster, the Raptors qualified for theirfirst playoff berth in five years, capturing the Atlantic Division title. In the2007–08 season, they also advanced to theplayoffs but failed to reach the postseason in each of the next five seasons. Colangelo overhauled the team's roster for the2009–10 season in a bid to persuade pending free agent Bosh to stay, but Bosh departed to sign with theMiami Heat in July 2010, ushering in yet another era of rebuilding for the Raptors.
Masai Ujiri replaced Colangelo in 2013 and helped herald a new era of success, led by a backcourt duo ofDeMar DeRozan andKyle Lowry. The Raptors returned to theplayoffs the following year and became a consistent playoff team in every year of Ujiri's tenure. Under Ujiri, the team also won five Division titles and registered their most successful regular season in2018. However, the team's failure to reach the NBA Finals prompted Ujiri to fire head coachDwane Casey after the2018 playoffs concluded and to trade DeRozan forKawhi Leonard andDanny Green later that summer, as well as to acquireMarc Gasol before thetrade deadline. Toronto also saw the break-out ofPascal Siakam, the 27th overall pick in the2016 NBA draft, who won theNBA Most Improved Player that year. In the2019 playoffs, the Raptors won their firstEastern Conference title and advanced to their firstNBA Finals, where they won their first NBA championship.
After the Raptors won their first championship, Leonard left in free agency. After Lowry's departure via trade in 2021, Siakam became the face of the franchise until 2024 when Siakam was traded to theIndiana Pacers, leavingScottie Barnes as the new face of the franchise.
Interest to move or expand an NBA franchise to Toronto grew during the late-1980s; with former NBA commissionerDavid Stern later describing the expansion to Toronto as a "safe step," given the market size and the likelihood of success in the city.[11] The NBA organized two exhibition games in 1989 and 1992 with an attendance of over 25,000 people each, both in the newly builtSkyDome.[12]
The NBA began to seriously consider expansion into Toronto after they received an unsolicited application fee from the Palestra Group, headed byLarry Tanenbaum. The Palestra Group was one of several seeking an NBA franchise, with Professional Basketball Franchise (Canada) Inc. (PBF) formally submitting an application for a Toronto-based team on April 23, 1993.[13] Later that year, in July, the NBA Expansion Committee visited various existing and proposed stadium sites along with the bid contenders. On September 30, 1993, the committee recommended conditionally awarding PBF the franchise.[12]
Creation
The team was formalized on November 4, 1993, when the NBA Board of Governors endorsed the decision of Expansion Committee and awarded its 28thfranchise to a group headed by Toronto businessmanJohn Bitove for a then-record expansion fee of US$125 million.[12][13] Bitove andAllan Slaight ofSlaight Communications each owned 44 per cent, with theBank of Nova Scotia (10 per cent),David Peterson (1 per cent), and Phil Granovsky (1 per cent) being minority partners.[12][14]Wagering on NBA games inOntario nearly cost Toronto the expansion franchise, due to strict league rules at the time that prohibited gambling. However, an agreement was reached whereby theOntario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG), which is the provincial lottery corporation that regulates gambling in Ontario, agreed to stop offering wagering on all NBA games in exchange for a donation by the Raptors of $5 million in its first three years and $1 million annually afterwards to its charitable foundation to compensate OLG for its loss of revenue.[15][16][17] The Raptors, along with theVancouver Grizzlies, played their first game on November 3, 1995.[18]
Naming the team
Initial sentiment was in favour of reviving the Huskies nickname, but team management realized it would be nearly impossible to design a logo that did not substantially resemble that of theMinnesota Timberwolves to avoid confusion with that team.[19] 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.[12] The final selection—Toronto Raptors—was unveiled on Canadian national television on May 15, 1994:[12] the choice was influenced by the popularity of the1993 film adaption of the 1990science fiction novelJurassic Park byMichael Crichton; The name "Raptor" is a common informal name for theVelociraptor, a species of dinosaur featured in the film. On May 24, 1994, the team's logo and first general manager,Isiah Thomas, were revealed at a press conference.[12] As part of the deal, Thomas received an option to purchase part of the team, reportedly for under market value.[20][21] He would purchase 4.5 per cent in May 1995[22][23] and a further 4.5 per cent in December 1995,[21][24] half each from Bitove and Slaight, decreasing their share to 39.5 per cent.[12][25] The team's colours of bright red, purple, black, and silver were also revealed; "Naismith" silver was chosen to honour CanadianJames Naismith, the inventor of basketball.[12] The team originally competed in theCentral Division,[26] and before the inaugural season began, sales of Raptors merchandise ranked seventh in the league, marking a successful return of professional basketball to Canada.[12]
Subsequent to the expansion draft, the Raptors landed the seventh pick in theNBA draft lottery, behind their fellow 1995 expansion club, the Vancouver Grizzlies. Thomas selectedDamon Stoudamire, a point guard out ofArizona, around whom the franchise would seek to construct its near future.[12] However, the selection of Stoudamire was met withboos from fans at the1995 NBA draft at the SkyDome in Toronto, many of whom wantedEd O'Bannon ofUCLA, anNCAA Final FourMost Valuable Player.[28]
SkyDome, known asRogers Centre since 2005, was the original venue for Raptors home games from 1995 to 1999
In the team's first official NBA game,Alvin Robertson scored the first NBA points in Raptors history,[29] while Stoudamire recorded 10 points and 10 assists in a 94–79 victory over the New Jersey Nets.[30] The Raptors concluded their inaugural season with a 21–61 win–loss record,[26] although they were one of the few teams to defeat the Chicago Bulls, who set a then all-time NBA best 72–10 win–loss regular season record.[31] With averages of 19.0points and 9.3assists per game, Stoudamire also won the1995–96 Rookie of the Year Award.[32]
In November of the1996–97 season, Bitove sold his ownership interest in the team to Slaight for $65 million after Slaight had activated ashotgun clause in their partnership agreement,[33][34][35] giving Slaight 79 per cent control of the team,[36] and remaining minority partner of theBank of Nova Scotia (10 per cent), Thomas (9 per cent) Peterson (1 per cent) and Granovsky (1 per cent).[37] Slaight subsequently acquired the 1 per cent, which had been owned by both Peterson and Granovsky, who had died a year earlier.[14][38][39] In their second season the team put up a 30–52 record and selectedcentreMarcus Camby with the second overall pick in the1996 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.[40] As in the previous season, the Raptors were one of only 11 teams to topple the eventual 1997 champions, the Chicago Bulls.[40][41] The Raptors also defeated theHouston Rockets,Utah Jazz and Miami Heat, all of which were eventual Conference finalists.[40] However, the Raptors struggled against teams who were not of championship calibre, including three losses to the 15–67Boston Celtics.[40]
In the1997–98 season, the team suffered numerous injuries and slid into a 17-game losing streak.[42] After Thomas' attempts to execute a letter of intent with Slaight to purchase the team failed, he resigned his position with the team in November and sold his 9 per cent stake in the team to Slaight.[38][43][44] This left Slaight with 90 per cent and the Bank of Nova Scotia with 10 per cent.[43] Thomas was replaced byGlen Grunwald as general manager.[45] With Thomas gone, Stoudamire immediately sought a trade.[46] On February 13, 1998, he was shipped to thePortland Trail Blazers along withWalt Williams and Carlos Rogers forKenny Anderson,Alvin Williams,Gary Trent, two first-round draft choices, a second-round draft choice and cash.[42] Anderson refused to report to Toronto and was traded to the Celtics withŽan Tabak andPopeye Jones forChauncey Billups,Dee Brown,Roy Rogers andJohn Thomas.[42] When the trading deadline was over, the Raptors became the youngest team in the league with an average age of 24.6 years.[42] They had five rookies on their roster, including the 18-year-oldTracy McGrady, who at the time was the youngest player in the NBA.[42] The inexperienced Raptors struggled throughout the season and their regular season record regressed to 16–66.[47]
On February 12, 1998, Maple Leaf Gardens Ltd., the owners of theToronto Maple Leafs, purchased 100 per cent of the Raptors and the arena the team was building, Air Canada Centre, from Slaight and the Bank of Nova Scotia; Maple Leaf Gardens Ltd. later renamed itself Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE).[44][48] MLSE paid a reported $467 million, made up of $179 million for the team and $288 million for the arena.[49][50][51] During the1998 NBA draft, in what became a defining move for the franchise, Grunwald traded the team's fourth overall pickAntawn Jamison to theGolden State Warriors forVince Carter, who was selected fifth overall, and cash.[52] To bring further credibility to the Raptors, Grunwald traded Marcus Camby to the New York Knicks forCharles Oakley,[53] a veteran withplayoff experience.Kevin Willis, another veteran acquired from the trade, solidified the centre position, while the coaching staff temporarily rotated Brown, Williams andDoug 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,[53] while Williams improved his play on the offensive end. New coachButch Carter was also credited with much of the team's turnaround during the lockout-shortened1998–99 season. Although the team did not make theplayoffs, many were optimistic with the impressive performances of Rookie of the Year Carter[52] and a much improved McGrady.
1999–2002: Success during the Vince Carter era
The Raptors moved toScotiabank Arena (then known as Air Canada Centre) in 1999
During the1999 NBA draft, believing that the Raptors still lacked a strongfrontcourt presence, Grunwald traded first-round draft pickJonathan Bender for a power forward,Antonio Davis of the Indiana Pacers. Davis quickly entered the Raptors starting line-up and he would develop into an All-Star in the coming years. Conversely, Bender would only play nine seasons and would be out of the league by age 29.[54] In the backcourt, Carter, Christie, andDell Curry played at theshooting guard position and Alvin Williams andMuggsy 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-everplayoff appearance, fulfilling a promise Carter had made to fans in the previous season.[55] Lacking significant postseason experience, Toronto was defeated 3–0 by the New York Knicks in the first round.[55] Nonetheless, team improvements and the rise of Carter—who emphatically won the 2000 NBASlam Dunk Contest[52]—attracted many fans around Toronto, many of whom were previously not basketball fans. The season was also the first full year played at the Air Canada Centre, after having played four years at the cavernous SkyDome, which was better suited tobaseball andCanadian football.[55] Overall, the Raptors concluded the season with a 45–37 record.[56]
Still, playoff failures and Butch Carter's media altercations surrounding Camby led Grunwald to replace Carter prior to the2000–01 season withLenny Wilkens, aHall of Fame coach and player with more than 30 years of coaching experience.[57] The team roster was also largely revamped, including the signing of veteran playmakerMark Jackson on a four-year contract.[58] When Alvin Williams later emerged as a clutch performer,[59] Jackson was traded to allow Williams more playing time.[58] In the 2000 off-season, free-agent McGrady opted to leave the Raptors in a sign-and-trade deal worth $67.5 million over six years, while giving a conditional draft pick as part of the agreement to the Orlando Magic for a first-round draft pick.[60]
Vince Carter, drafted fifth in the1998 NBA draft, played his first six seasons in the NBA with the Raptors
As predicted by analysts, the team easily secured a berth in the2001 NBA playoffs with a franchise-high 47 wins. The Raptors won their first-ever playoff series as they defeated New York 3–2, advancing to theEastern Conference semifinals for the first time in franchise history.[58][61] Wilkens was praised for having Williams defend shooting guardAllan Houston and Carter defend small forwardLatrell Sprewell, the two major Knicks offensive threats. The series withPhiladelphia 76ers was a landmark for the Raptors in terms of performance and entertainment value. The Sixers relied onAllen Iverson andDikembe Mutombo for their respective offensive and defensive abilities, along with steady help fromAaron McKie. Toronto was the more balanced team with Carter, Alvin Williams and Davis providing much of the offensive game andChris Childs and Jerome Williams on defence. The series came down to the last few seconds of Game 7, when Carter's potential series-winning shot rolled off the rim.[62] Carter was later widely criticized for attending his graduation ceremony at theUniversity of North Carolina on the morning of Game 7, as he scored only 20 points on 6-for-18 shooting after a 39-point performance in Game 6.[63][64] Despite the loss, the season is generally considered a watermark for the franchise, given the Raptors' franchise high of 47 wins and advancing beyond the first round of the playoffs.[58][65]
The relocation of the Vancouver Grizzlies toMemphis, Tennessee in 2001, as theMemphis Grizzlies, left Toronto as the NBA's only Canadian team.[66] In the summer of 2001, long-term contracts were given to Alvin Williams, Jerome Williams and Davis, while formerNBA MVP centreHakeem Olajuwon was signed to provide Carter with good support.[67] The Raptors appeared to be on their way to another competitive season with a 29–21 record going into theAll-Star break[67] and with Carter the top vote-getter for the All-Star game for the third consecutive year.[52] Carter then suffered a bout ofpatellar tendinitis (also known as "jumper's knee"),[68] forcing him to miss the All-Star game and the rest of the season,[67] and without their franchise player, Toronto lost 13 consecutive games.[67] However, they were able to win 12 of their last 14 games, clinching aplayoff spot on the last day of the regular season.[67] The comeback featured some of the Raptors' best defence of the season, along with inspired performances by Davis andKeon Clark.
Despite Toronto's improved defensive performances, Carter's offence was sorely missed in the first-round series against the second-seeded Detroit Pistons. In the first game, Detroit overwhelmed Toronto 83–65, largely due toBen Wallace's strong performance of 19 points, 20rebounds, 3blocks and 3steals.[69] 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.[67] With 10.7 seconds left in the game, and the Raptors down 85–82 with possession of the ball, Childs raced down the court and shot a three-pointer that missed badly, apparently trying to draw a foul on the play,[70] instead of passing to a wide-open 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.[71] Furthermore, Childs, Clark and Curry left the team, ensuring a new-look team for the next season.
The2002–03 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 the2003 All-Star Game,[52] suffered a knee injury, while Davis expressed 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.[72] Furthermore, the Raptors recorded the dubious honour of being the only team in NBA history not to dress 12 players for a single game in a season.[72] Wilkens was criticized heavily by the Toronto media for his inability to clamp down on his players when necessary, especially given this was the year that Wilkens overtookBill Fitch for the most losses by an NBA coach,[73] with his loss total getting dangerously close to his win total. The Raptors ended the season with a 24–58 record[74] and Wilkens was fired. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise, when the Raptors were given the fourth overall pick in the2003 NBA draft and brought another star to Toronto inChris Bosh.
Canadiancountry singerShania Twain helped launch the new red Raptors alternate road uniform at the start of the2003–04 season,[75] and the jerseys made their debut in a 90–87 season-opening victory on October 29, 2003, against the defending Eastern Conference champions, the New Jersey Nets.[75] Davis and Jerome Williams were traded early in the season forJalen Rose andDonyell Marshall. After 50 games, Toronto was 25–25 and in a position to make theplayoffs, but injuries to key players sent the Raptors plummeting down the standings. Rose, Carter and Alvin Williams all suffered injuries as the Raptors struggled to a record of 8–24 in their remaining games.[75] The notable individual season performances were Carter's 22.5ppg, Marshall's 10.7rpg, and rookie Bosh, a 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) forward-centre, averaging 11.5 ppg and 7.4 rpg and being named to the NBA All-Rookie Team.[76] Williams' knee injury turned out to be career-ending.
For the2004–05 season, the team moved into the Atlantic Division and the Raptors decided to revamp the team. Raptors' President and CEO of Maple Leaf Sports & EntertainmentRichard Peddie fired Grunwald on April 1, 2004, after the team ended the season three games short of the eighth and final playoff spot in the previous season.[75] Head coachKevin O'Neill and his four assistant coaches were also dismissed immediately after Grunwald's termination. Toronto interim manager Jack McCloskey said: "While the blame for that certainly does not rest on O'Neill and his staff alone, we need a change."[77]Rob Babcock was named general manager on June 7, 2004, alongside the appointments ofWayne Embry as senior advisor andAlex English as director of player development.[78]Sam Mitchell, a former NBA forward and assistant coach of theMilwaukee Bucks, was hired as new head coach of the Raptors.[79]
After the trade of Vince Carter in 2004,Chris Bosh became the face of the Raptors franchise until 2010
Babcock's first move as general manager was drafting centreRafael Araújo—selected eighth overall—in the2004 NBA draft, in a move that was criticized by fans and analysts, considering highly touted swingmanAndre Iguodala was drafted with the next pick.[80] Babcock signed point guardRafer Alston to a five-year deal. After Vince Carter's annual charity game, Babcock implicitly revealed to the media that Carter's agent had asked for a trade, confirming Carter's discontent. TheToronto Sun reported that Carter felt he was being misled by the Raptors' hierarchy during the general manager search and had concluded that as long as the managerial structure at Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment Ltd. remained intact, the Raptors would never be an elite team.[81] Carter was finally traded mid-season, ending his six-year tenure. Toronto receivedAlonzo Mourning, forwardsEric Williams andAaron Williams and two mid-to-late future first-round picks from the New Jersey Nets. Mourning chose not to report to Toronto, forcing Babcock to buy out the remainder of his contract[82] 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,[83] 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[84] and performed well in his sophomore campaign, ranking tenth in the league in defensive rebounds.[76] In contrast to Bosh's emergence, Araújo struggled to keep a spot in the line-up, and became unpopular with fans and local media.[85] Although the ACC was often well-attended due to the Raptors' 22–19 home record,[86] their inability to win on the road (11–30) and a poor defensive record made Mitchell's first year as head coach unimpressive. Additionally, Mitchell had problems dealing with Alston, who openly expressed his unhappiness with Mitchell in a post-game interview.[87] Later in the season, Alston was suspended two games for "conduct detrimental to the team" for reportedly walking out of a scrimmage during practice.[88] 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.[84]
The Raptors continued to rebuild during the2005 NBA draft, selectingCharlie Villanueva,Joey Graham,Roko Ukić andUroš Slokar, with Villanueva's selection being very controversial amongst basketball pundits and Raptors fans alike.[89] The Raptors started their training camp by trading Alston to the Houston Rockets forMike James and signing free agentJosé Calderón as a backup for James. Despite the infusion of new players, Toronto's overall2005–06 season was a disappointment; they set a franchise record by losing their first nine games[90] and 15 out of their first 16 games.[91] With losses mounting and media scrutiny intensifying, the Raptors hired ex-Purdue coachGene Keady as an assistant off the bench to help develop the young Raptors team and establish a defensive persona for the team. On January 15, 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.[92] But less than a week later, the Raptors gave up an 18-point lead against theLos Angeles Lakers and allowed Lakers starKobe Bryant to score 81 points, the second-highest single-game total in NBA history.[93] With media scrutiny intensifying once more and the Raptors entrenched at the bottom of the league in defensivefield goal percentage,[94] CEO Richard Peddie fired Babcock.[95]
The 2005–06 season was not a total disaster. Villanueva's play impressed both fans and former critics as he came in second inNBA Rookie of the Year[96] and recorded 48 points in anovertime loss to Milwaukee Bucks, the most points scored by any rookie in franchise history and the most by a rookie in the NBA since 1997.[97] Bosh was also named a reserve forward for the Eastern All-Star Team in the2006 game,[76] becoming the third Raptor after Vince Carter and Antonio Davis to appear in an All-Star Game. On February 27, 2006, the team namedBryan Colangelo, the2004–05 NBA Executive of the Year, the president and general manager of the Raptors.[98] 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.[99] The Raptors lost ten consecutive games after Bosh's injury[100] and finished the season with the fifth worst record (27–55) in the NBA.[101]
The first half of the season produced mixed results as Toronto struggled towards the .500 mark.[104] After the All-Star break, Bargnani continued to work on his defence and shooting (averaging 14.3 points per game and 3.9 rebounds per game in 12 games for the month of February 2007), and he was selected as the Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for the second straight time on March 1, 2007.[105] Bargnani became the third Raptor ever to win the award twice, joining Vince Carter and Damon Stoudamire.[105] Toronto ended the regular season with a 47–35 record, securing the third seed in the Eastern Conference for the2007 NBA playoffs along with the Atlantic Division title, as well as homecourt advantage for the first time in franchise history.[106][107] Bosh was voted to start in the2007 NBA All-Star Game.[108] The Raptors were also praised for their improved defence, ball-sharing and tremendous team chemistry.[109] Colangelo, Gherardini and Mitchell were credited with Toronto's turnaround this season,[110] which was one of the best in NBA history in terms of league standing and defensive ranking.[111] Mitchell was subsequently named the 2006–07NBA Coach of the Year, the first coach in Raptors history to receive the honour,[112] while Colangelo was named 2006–07 Executive of the Year.[113]
On April 24, 2007, the Raptors won their first playoff game in five seasons, with an 89–83 victory over the New Jersey Nets,[114] but lost the series 4–2.[115] The series was notable for pitting ex-Raptor Vince Carter against his former team. The Nets took home court advantage in Game 1, holding off a late Raptors rally in the fourth quarter. The Raptors pulled away in another tight game to even the series at one game apiece. When the series shifted toNew Jersey, the Nets took charge of the series, winning Games 3 and 4 in routs. New Jersey had a chance to win the series in game 5 in Toronto, but the Raptors took a 20-point lead after one quarter. Still, New Jersey chipped away and had a chance to win the game, butBoštjan Nachbar's three-pointer missed at the buzzer. Needing to win in New Jersey to force a game 7, Toronto held a one-point lead with under a minute to play in game 6, butRichard Jefferson hit a layup with eight seconds left to play. Toronto attempted to try for the game-winning shot, but Jefferson intercepted a pass to seal the series for the Nets.
Jorge Garbajosa (left) and Chris Bosh (right) during the2007–08 season. Injuries to both players during the season derailed the possibility for the Raptors to defend their2007Atlantic Division title.
Several changes to the roster were made before the2007–08 campaign as Toronto sought to reproduce the same form as the previous campaign. Most notably, the Raptors acquiredCarlos Delfino in a trade with Detroit for two second-round draft picks,[116] and signedJamario Moon[117] and three-point specialistJason Kapono as free agents.[118] On the other hand, veteranswingman Morris Peterson joined theNew Orleans Hornets.[119] Despite being defending division champions, the Raptors were widely tipped as outside contenders for the division and conference titles.[120] However, Toronto quickly fell behind Boston in the division, as Bargnani's inability to play well consistently, along with injuries to Garbajosa (75 games), Bosh (15 games) and Ford (31 games), derailed the possibility of a smooth campaign.
The Raptors finished 41–41, six fewer wins than the previous season, but still good enough for a playoff spot as the sixth seed. They were pitted against Dwight Howard and the resurgentOrlando Magic. In Game 1,Dwight Howard gave the Magic their first playoff win since2003 as they practically led the entire game.[121] Howard would put up a 29–20 in Game 2, asHedo Türkoğlu scored the final four go-ahead points to give the Magic a 2–0 lead. The Raptors would respond with a strong Game 3 victory keyed by great point guard play from Ford and José Calderon. However,Jameer Nelson,Rashard Lewis andKeith Bogans keyed strong three-point shooting in Game 4 and overcame Bosh's 39 points and 15 rebounds to bring the Magic out of Toronto with a 3–1 lead. Howard would finish off the series in Game 5 as impressively as he started: 21 points, 21 rebounds, 3 blocks.[122][123] 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 into sharp focus during the playoffs, and changes were expected to be made to the roster.[123]
As it turned out, a blockbuster trade was agreed in principle before the2008–09 campaign: six-time All-StarJermaine O'Neal was acquired from the Indiana Pacers in exchange for Ford (who had become expendable with the emergence of Calderón),Rasho Nesterović,Maceo Baston, andRoy Hibbert, the 17th pick in the2008 NBA draft, giving the Raptors a potential boost in the frontcourt.[124] Meanwhile, Bargnani, who had spent the summer working on his interior game, was projected to come off the bench. The Raptors also introduced a black alternate road jersey for the season similar to the earlier purple design that was dropped a few seasons ago. It had amaple leaf featured on the back neck of the jersey, symbolizing the Raptors as "Canada's team".[125] Despite the introduction of O'Neal, who brought home the rebounds and the blocks, and a much improved Bargnani, the Raptors were too inconsistent. Following an 8–9 start to the season, Mitchell was fired and replaced by long-time assistantJay Triano.[126] Triano tweaked the starting line-up to no avail as the Raptors fell to 21–34 prior to the All-Star break. O'Neal and Moon were then traded to Miami forShawn Marion andMarcus Banks,[127] but with the losses mounting, the Raptors soon fell out of the playoffs picture and were eliminated from contention with seven games of the regular season remaining.[128] The Raptors eventually finished with a 33–49 record[129] and headed into the next season with a potential overhaul of the core: Marion could become a free agent; Bosh could become one after 2009–10; Parker would soon turn 35; and Bargnani had his breakthrough season. On May 12, 2009, Triano was given a three-year term for the position of head coach.[130]
The inevitable roster shakeup for the2009–10 season began when Kapono was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers for the aggressive veteranforwardReggie Evans.[131] Toronto thendraftedDeMar DeRozan with the ninth pick, enabling them to fill a spot on the wings.[132] This was followed by the signing of free agent Hedo Türkoğlu, which in turn led to a sign-and-trade agreement involving four teams, with Toronto landing wing playersDevean George (later traded forMarco Belinelli) andAntoine Wright, while releasing Marion,Kris Humphries andNathan Jawai.[133] Around the same time, Parker headed for theCleveland Cavaliers,[134] while Indiana point guardJarrett Jack was added and Nesterovič brought back to provide cover for the big men. Finally, Delfino and Ukić were moved to the Milwaukee Bucks forAmir Johnson andSonny Weems.[135] It became increasingly clear that Colangelo, in securing a credible nucleus for the future, was doing this to persuade Bosh to stay beyond 2010.[136] While the Raptors were off to a sluggish start, they picked up the pace around the All-Star break, reaching a season-high seven games above .500 and standing fifth in the Eastern Conference.[137] Bosh was recording career-highs in points and rebounds per game.[76] However, a season-ending injury to Bosh after the break coincided with Toronto's descent down the standings from the fifth seed to the eighth, and they ultimately relinquished their spot toChicago a few games before the regular season ended.[138]
2010–2013: Rebuilding
Kyle Lowry was acquired by the Raptors in a trade with theHouston Rockets during the 2012 off-season
Before the2010–11 season began, there was much anticipation around the league over the fates of an elite pack of free agents, featuring the likes of Bosh,Dwyane Wade,LeBron James, andAmar'e Stoudemire. Bosh and James eventually chose to converge in Miami with Wade, and the sign-and-trade transaction that ensued resulted in the Raptors receiving two first-round draft picks and a trade exception from Miami.[139] Prior to this, Toronto haddraftedEd Davis, also a left-handed power forward like Bosh. After Bosh left, Colangelo sought to trade Calderón, Evans and the disenchanted Türkoğlu forTyson Chandler,Leandro Barbosa, andBoris Diaw,[140] but the trade involving Chandler collapsed at the last minute, as Chandler was traded to theDallas Mavericks instead.[141] Belinelli was then traded to New Orleans Hornets forJulian Wright,[142] and 13 games into the season, Jack,David Andersen, and Marcus Banks to New Orleans forPeja Stojaković andJerryd Bayless.[143] Bosh's first return to Toronto was received to a chorus of boos, but not as nearly as harsh as what former Raptors Tracy McGrady and Vince Carter received upon their respective returns.[144] Without Bosh, Toronto as a team regressed and were only able to secure 22 wins in the regular season.
Dwane Casey, an assistant coach with the Mavericks, was hired as the new head coach of Toronto before the2011–12 season.[145] The Raptors used their number five pick to selectJonas Valančiūnas, a centre from Lithuania in the2011 NBA draft. The season was shortened by 16 regular season games due to the2011 NBA lockout, and the Raptors finished the season with a 23–43 record. During the 2012 off-season, Colangelo tried to lure Canadian free agent and two-time MVPSteve Nash, who had become a free agent after playing for thePhoenix Suns, to play for the Raptors. When Nash joined the Los Angeles Lakers instead, the Raptors acquired point guardKyle Lowry from the Houston Rockets for a future first-round pick. Lowry, combined with Valančiūnas and the eighth pick in the2012 draftTerrence Ross, represented the next phase of the re-building process. On January 30, 2013, the Raptors acquired Memphis Grizzlies starRudy Gay and centreHamed Haddadi as well as Pistons playerAustin Daye in a three-way deal that sent Calderón to the Detroit Pistons and Davis, along with Pistons veteranTayshaun Prince and a second-round pick to the Grizzlies. Haddadi was later traded, along with a second-round pick, to Phoenix in exchange for guardSebastian Telfair. The2012–13 season was the first season since 2009–10 that the Raptors finished the season with a winning home record (21–20), despite their overall losing record (34–48).
2013–present: The Masai Ujiri era
2013–2018: The DeRozan and Lowry era
The Air Canada Centre during the 2014 first-round playoffs between the Raptors and theBrooklyn Nets
During the2013–14 season, the Raptors were 6–12 before the Rudy Gay trade; after the trade they went on a 10–3 run, as they maintained their lead in the division and rose above the .500 mark for the first time in almost three years. The Raptors entered the All-Star break with a 28–24 record, and DeRozan was also selected to play in the All-Star game, being only the fourth ever Raptor to do so. On March 28, 2014, the Raptors clinched aplayoff berth for the first time since 2008 after beating the Boston Celtics, 105–103.[147] On April 11, 2014, the Raptors lost to the New York Knicks, 108–100, but since the division rivalBrooklyn Nets lost to theAtlanta Hawks the same night, the Raptors became Atlantic Division champions for the first time since 2007.[148] They finished the regular season with a franchise-high 48 wins (.585), going 42–22 (.656) after the Gay trade, the third-best record in the Eastern Conference. The Raptors faced the Nets in the first round of the playoffs for the first time since 2007, when the Nets were located in New Jersey. Toronto nearly advanced to the next round, butPaul Pierce blocked a potential game-winner by Lowry in Game 7.[149]
During the2014–15 season, the Raptors were off to their best start in franchise history: a then-Eastern Conference-leading 24–8 record by the end of 2014.[150] On March 27, 2015, the Raptors clinched the Atlantic division title with a 94–83 win over the Los Angeles Lakers. This was the second consecutive year that the Raptors clinched the Atlantic Division title.[151] On April 11, 2015, the Raptors beat the Miami Heat, Toronto's first road win over the Heat since November 19, 2008, ending a ten-game slide on Miami's home floor. The win was Toronto's 48th of the season and 22nd on the road, both tying franchise records.[152] Four days later, the Raptors broke their franchise record with their 49th win of the season. After the 2014–15 season,Louis Williams won theNBA Sixth Man of the Year Award, becoming the first Raptor to do so. The Raptors faced theWashington Wizards in the first round of the2015 playoffs and lost four straight games as the Wizards swept the Raptors.[153]
The Raptors opened a new practice facility, theOVO Athletic Centre, originally known as the BioSteel Centre, inExhibition Place, on February 10, 2016. The Raptors hosted the2016 NBA All-Star Game on February 14, 2016, and its associated weekend for the first time in its history. With a 105–97 win at home against the Atlanta Hawks on March 30, 2016, the Raptors attained their first-ever 50-win season.[155] The following day the Raptors clinched the Atlantic Division title for the third consecutive season as a result of a Boston Celtics loss against the Portland Trail Blazers.[156] The 56–26 record became the best Raptors regular season ever, fourth overall in the league and second only to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference. Entering the2016 playoffs as the East's second seed,[157] the Raptors were pushed to seven games by theIndiana Pacers, but won their first playoff series in 15 years.[158] Another seven-game series against the Miami Heat ensued, which Toronto also won. The Raptors, who were one of the four teams that never reached theNBA Conference Finals in their histories, appeared in the third round for the first time in their twenty-first season, facing the Cleveland Cavaliers,[159] in which they ultimately lost the series 4–2.[160] The Cavaliers advanced to theNBA Finals and became champions.
In preparation for their title push, the Raptors conducted a series of trades, including on February 14, 2017, when Terrence Ross and a first-round pick were traded forSerge Ibaka from the Orlando Magic,[161] and on February 23, 2017, whenJared Sullinger and two second-round picks were traded for PJ Tucker.[162] During the2017 NBA playoffs, the third-seeded Raptors defeated theMilwaukee Bucks during the first round 4–2, but lost to the defending champions Cavaliers in the second round 4–0.
On January 1, 2018, DeMar DeRozan scored a franchise-record 52 points to help the Raptors beat the Milwaukee Bucks 131–127 in overtime, matching the team record with their 12th consecutive home victory. DeRozan became the third player in Raptors history to score 50 or more in a single game—the others beingVince Carter andTerrence Ross, who each had 51.[163] On March 7, 2018, Toronto became the first team in the league to clinch a playoff spot in the2017–18 season, with a 121–119 overtime win over theDetroit Pistons in Detroit, and set a new franchise record in earliest playoff qualification, doing so in only their 64th game of the season.[164] On April 6, 2018, the Raptors becameEastern Conference regular season champions, securing the number one seed for the first time in franchise history with a 92–73 win over the Indiana Pacers, in the process also setting new records for single-season wins at 57 and home wins with 33, with three games remaining on the schedule.[165] The Raptors finished the regular season with a franchise-record 59 wins, which was the second-best overall in the league behind only theHouston Rockets.
The Raptors faced off the Washington Wizards in the first round of the2018 NBA playoffs, a rematch of the 2015 playoffs. The Raptors defeated the Wizards 4–2. The Raptors were swept by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second round, becoming the first number one seed to get swept before the Conference Finals since1969.[166] Despite winning Coach of the Year, Casey was subsequently fired as coach on May 11.[167]Nick Nurse was promoted to replace Casey as head coach on June 14.
2018–2019: First championship season
Toronto's roster underwent two major changes during the2018–19 season. First, on July 18, DeRozan was traded, along withJakob Pöltl and a protected 2019 first-round draft pick, to theSan Antonio Spurs in exchange forKawhi Leonard andDanny Green.[168] Leonard was a two-time All-Star and two-timeDefensive Player of the Year, but owing to the short length of his contract, there was uncertainty over his longer-term future with the franchise.[169] Secondly, during the trade deadline, the Raptors tradedJonas Valančiūnas,Delon Wright,C. J. Miles, and a 2024 second-round draft pick to theMemphis Grizzlies forMarc Gasol—another multiple All-Star and former Defensive Player of the Year—and signedJeremy Lin shortly thereafter.[170][171][172] The Raptors got off to a 6–0 start, a franchise record.[173] Winning their 16th game on November 23, the Raptors broke their franchise record for the best start through 20 games with a 16–4 record.[174] They reached the 20-win mark quicker than any time in their history when they won the 24th game of their season on December 1 against theCleveland Cavaliers in Cleveland.[175] On January 13, 2019, the Toronto Raptors broke the record for most points scored in franchise history after beating theWashington Wizards in Washington 140–138 points after double overtime.[176]
Despite resting Leonard for more than 20 games due to his injury from the previous season, the Raptors finished the regular season with the second seed in the East, and the second-best record in the league behind theMilwaukee Bucks.[169] The Raptors faced theOrlando Magic in the first round of the2019 playoffs, defeating them in five games.[177] In the following round, the Raptors defeated thePhiladelphia 76ers in a tightly contested seven-game series. In the closing seconds of Game 7 with the game tied, Leonard hit the game-winning 15-foot buzzer-beater to lift the Raptors to a 92–90 victory—the first Game 7buzzer-beater in NBA playoff history.[178] They went on to face the Bucks in theEastern Conference Finals. After losing the first two games in Milwaukee, Toronto won the next four, advancing to theNBA Finals for the first time in franchise history, and their opponents were the two-time defending championsGolden State Warriors.[179] The Warriors, which were making their fifth consecutive finals appearance and featured multiple All-Stars, includingSplash BrothersStephen Curry (son of former RaptorDell Curry) andKlay Thompson, were favourites to win.[180] However, the Raptors earned their first championship by defeating the Warriors 4–2, with Leonard being named Finals MVP.[181] In doing so, the Raptors became the first team based outside the United States to win the NBA title (and theLarry O'Brien Championship Trophy) and the first team based outside the United States to win a championship in any of thefour major North American sports leagues since theToronto Blue Jays won theWorld Series in1993, ending a 25-year-long drought from Canada-based major professional sports teams.[182]
2019–2021: Pandemic-shortened seasons
In the 2019–20 NBA season,Pascal Siakam was named as a starter in the 2020 NBA All-Star Game and a part of the All-NBA Second Team.
The fear that Leonard would depart after only one season materialized when he signed with theLos Angeles Clippers.[183] Nonetheless, the Raptors managed to win 53 games ina season shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic to secure the second seed and the second best record in the league. Their winning percentage (73.6 per cent) was the best in franchise history,[184] with the season also seeing Nurse being named as Coach of the Year; additionally,Pascal Siakam made his firstAll-NBA Second Team, as well as being a starter in the2020 NBA All-Star Game as well asKyle Lowry making his sixth consecutiveall-star selection. In theplayoffs—which began later than usual in August, at the"Bubble" in Walt Disney World inBay Lake, Florida near Orlando—the Raptors defeated the Brooklyn Nets 4–0 in the first round.[185][186] They went down 0–2 against the Boston Celtics in the next round, beforeOG Anunoby scored a buzzer-beater to win Toronto the third game. The series eventually went to seven games, with Boston prevailing.[187]
Due to travel restrictions imposed by the Canadian government in response to theCOVID-19 pandemic, the Raptors were unable to host games in Toronto and played their home games for the2020–21 season atAmalie Arena inTampa, Florida.[188] On February 28, 2021, due to NBA's COVID-19 Health and Safety Protocols, the Raptors suffered their first postponement, in a scheduled game versus theChicago Bulls, At the time, the Raptors were fourth in the East.[189][190] They did not play again until March 3, but with five players missing due to the safety protocols, including Siakam, Anunoby, Lowry andFred VanVleet, as well as head coach Nurse, resulting the Raptors to tank, Toronto lost 129–105 to theDetroit Pistons.[191][192] The Raptors ultimately missed the playoffs for the first time in eight years. For the2021 NBA draft, the Raptors jumped up to the fourth pick after having the seventh-best odds in the2021NBA draft lottery. With the fourth pick in the 2021 NBA draft, the Raptors selected guard/forwardScottie Barnes fromFlorida State.[193]
Before the2021–22 season, the Raptorssigned and traded Lowry to the Miami Heat forGoran Dragić andPrecious Achiuwa.[194] On September 10, 2021, the Canadian government allowed the Raptors to return to Scotiabank Arena for the first time since March 2020, requiring spectators to show a proof ofCOVID-19 vaccination to attend.[195] Despite a multitude of injuries to key players, the Raptors won 48 games to return to the postseason, entering the2022 NBA playoffs as the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference. However, the Raptors would lose to thePhiladelphia 76ers in the first round in six games, after going down 0–3 to start the series.[196] Siakam was named to his secondAll-NBA Team, tyingVince Carter andDemar DeRozan for the most All-NBA selections in Raptors history.Scottie Barnes, whom the Raptors had selected fourth overall in the2021 NBA draft, was named the 2022NBA Rookie of the Year.[197][198]
On April 21, 2023, after the Raptors were eliminated from the Play-in tournament by theChicago Bulls, the Raptors fired head coachNurse.[199] The rest of Nurse’s coaching staff were also fired. On June 13, 2023,Darko Rajaković, a formerMemphis Grizzlies assistant coach, was hired as the Raptors head coach, replacing Nurse.[200]
On January 17, 2024, the Raptors tradedPascal Siakam to theIndiana Pacers forBruce Brown,Jordan Nwora,Kira Lewis Jr. and 3 first-round picks.[202] Injuries to Scottie Barnes and other key players saw the Raptors tank for the remainder of the year, ultimately finishing at the bottom of the Atlantic Division and 12th in the Eastern Conference. Despite the injuries, Scottie Barnes represented Toronto inthe All-Star Game.
Shortly after the2025 NBA Finals, the Raptors did not re-sign Ujiri. His basketball duties were subsequently transferred to Raptors GMBobby Webster, who also got promoted to head of basketball operations.
Season-by-season record
List of the last five seasons completed by the Raptors. For the full season-by-season history, seeList of Toronto Raptors seasons.
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, W–L% = Winning percentage
Fueled by the success of theJurassic Park film and the popularity of non-avian dinosaurs with younger audiences, who would grow up to be fans of the franchise, the team's first logo originally featured an aggressive-looking, featherless redVelociraptor wearing white sneakers with exposed toe-claws dribbling a silver-coloured basketball. The team's original colours were purple, bright red, black and "Naismith silver" (in honour of the Canadian inventor of basketball,James Naismith). The logo proved to be very popular among fans, as by the end of 1994, the Raptors were seventh in the league in merchandise sales.[12] For the 2008−09 season, the franchise dropped the colour purple from the original logo, making bright red the predominant colour in both the logo and the team's jerseys.
On December 19, 2014, the Toronto Raptors unveiled a new primary logo, which the team described as "a circular shield with a ball torn by the unmistakable attack of a Raptor".[204]
Court art
The Toronto Raptors used various court art over the team's existence. For retro games, the Raptors used theToronto Huskies logo, given that the Raptors are among the newest NBA teams and the Huskies are the Raptors' unofficial geographical predecessor. Beginning inearly 2018, in some games, the Raptors use the Welcome Toronto logo, as the Raptors have strong connections with Toronto-based rapperDrake, as well as the 3D Raptors logo.Scotiabank subsidiaryTangerine Bank's name and logo are printed on the court as well (Tangerine Bank was formerlyING Direct Canada, until Scotiabank purchased the company in 2012 and re-branded it in 2013).
Uniforms
Uniform evolution
The uniforms the Raptors unveiled prior to the 1995–96 season, and wore until 1999, had black and white tears as pinstripes, edgy asymmetric lettering, a raptor claw on one side of the shorts, a raptor biting the ‘T’ of the ‘TR’ franchise acronym on the other side; and featured a red giant and aggressiveVelociraptor dribbling a basketball (as depicted on the franchise logo) in the middle of the jersey. The Raptors unveiled these new jerseys in 1999−2000, launching a unique road jersey that had a purple front and a black back. In 2003−04, the Raptors introduced a solid red alternate that would become the main road jersey in 2006−07 onward as purple was dropped from the team's colour scheme. From the 2008−09 season through the 2014−15 season, the Raptors unveiled their alternate black road uniforms, which were actually worn as often as the primary red ones.
On August 3, 2015, the Toronto Raptors unveiled four new uniforms. The uniforms were released in partnership with2K Sports'NBA 2K16 video game. The team said in a press release that the new uniform designs were intended to pay tribute to the city of Toronto and to Canada as a whole, noting that the Raptors were the sole Canadian club in the NBA since theGrizzlies' move from Vancouver toMemphis. The main colours would remain centred onCanada's national colours of red and white, whereas black and silver will continue to be used for trim on the white home and red road uniforms. The uniforms themselves underwent changes. Most notably, the chevrons on the side panels now point up, which the team said aligns with its current slogan of "We The North". Since being introduced as a uniform accent in 1999, the chevrons had pointed downward, the team said. In addition, at the waist-level hem of the jersey is an upside-down tag with the team's "We The North" slogan. The team said the slogan on the tag will be visible to players when they tuck in their jerseys. Additionally, the shorts now feature a maple leaf logo on the front of the waistband, and the letter "T" is now on the sides of the shorts with the Raptors' basketball claw logo below it. This is a reference to the city of Toronto's"T-Dot" nickname. The Raptors also have an alternate road uniform based on Drake'sOctober's Very Own (OVO) Sound record label.[205]
In 2017, as part of the NBA's partnership with Nike, each team was allotted four primary uniforms, classified as "editions".[206] The Raptors made small changes to their regular home (now called "Association edition") and road (now the "Icon edition") uniforms, as well as their alternate ("Statement edition") uniforms. In addition, each franchise was also given new "City edition" uniforms, conceived by Nike as a way of commemorating each of the NBA teams' city history and pride. For the 2018–19 season, the Raptors were one of the franchises awarded "Earned edition" uniforms, by virtue of qualifying in the 2018 playoffs. The 2021−22 version of the "City edition" brought back the original Velociraptor, albeit in black and gold and facing the opposite direction.
In the 2017 off-season, the Raptors announced that Toronto-basedSun Life Financial is the team's jersey sponsor starting in the2017–18 season.[7]
Throwback and other jerseys
On December 8, 2009, the Raptors introduced a blue-and-whitethrowback jersey to commemorate theToronto Huskies of the Basketball Association of America (BAA), regarded by many as the unofficial, geographical predecessor of the Raptors.[207] The uniforms were the same as those worn by the Huskies during the1946–47 season, with the exception of the nickname and length of the shorts. These uniforms were worn in six games in the 2009–10 season and have since been used as "retro" jerseys, worn during special "Huskies Nights".
In the2016–17 NBA season, the Raptors not only unveiled the season's "retro" uniforms in commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the Toronto Huskies, but also revealed a Huskies-themed throwback court.[208] The franchise also launched a special redChinese New Year jersey in celebration of the event. The Chinese New Year jersey features a stylized rendering of "Toronto" in whitetraditional Chinese characters (多倫多,Pinyin:Duōlúnduō,Wade–Giles:To1-lun2-to1) with the head of a leftward-facing (viewer's perspective)Chinese dragon replacing the upper half of the first多 character and the Raptors slashed basketball logo replacing much of the bottom half of the倫 character.[209]
The Raptors also wear a camouflage uniform based on thetemperate variant ofCADPAT (Canadian Disruptive Pattern) during special events involving theCanadian Armed Forces (CAF),[211] as well as jerseys themed byDrake, such as Welcome Toronto jerseys, which are black with gold text.
The Raptors hold the draft rights to the following unsigned draft picks who have been playing outside the NBA. A drafted player, either an international draftee or a college draftee who is not signed by the team that drafted him, is allowed to sign with any non-NBA team. In this case, the team retains the player's draft rights in the NBA until one year after the player's contract with the non-NBA team ends.[212] This list includes draft rights that were acquired from trades with other teams.
Bryan Colangelo (right) at a Raptors game in 2009. He was the team's general manager, and president of basketball operations from February 2006 to May 2013.
Since their inception in 1995, the Raptors have made the playoffs thirteen times (2000–2002, 2007, 2008, 2014–2020 and 2022), advancing past the first round six times (2001 and 2016–2020). The Raptors have won the Atlantic Division seven times (2007, 2014–2016, and 2018–2020), and the franchise record number of wins in the regular season is 59 (2018). The Raptors advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals twice (2016 and 2019). Only once did the Raptors reach and win the NBA Finals (2019). Nine Raptors have been selected to play in theAll-Star game:Vince Carter,Antonio Davis,Chris Bosh,DeMar DeRozan,Kyle Lowry,Kawhi Leonard,Pascal Siakam,Fred VanVleet andScottie Barnes. With the exception of Davis, VanVleet and Barnes, these players also made All-NBA teams, while Leonard has also made the All-NBA Defensive team. Two Raptors coaches have also made the All-Star game:Dwane Casey in2018 andNick Nurse in2020. In 2020, the Raptors went on a 15-gamewinning streak and set a new record for the longest winning streak by aCanadian-based professional sports franchise.[223]
Raptors games are primarily broadcast on television by Canadian sports channelsTSN andSportsnet, owned byBell Media andRogers Communications, respectively. Through MLSE, the Raptors also operate theCanadian version ofNBA TV (formerly known as Raptors NBA TV), which airs reruns of Raptors telecasts along with other news and analysis programs focusing on the team and the rest of the NBA.[224] During the 2019 NBA Finals, forsimultaneous substitution purposes,Citytv (for games aired by Sportsnet)[225] andCTV 2 (for games aired by TSN) aired theABC feed.[226]
The Raptors have enjoyed a consistent fanbase throughout their history. They set NBA attendance records in their 2000, 2001, and 2002 seasons when they made the playoffs. Attendance dipped slightly between 2003 and 2006. This improved during the 2006–07 regular season to an average of 18,258 fans (13th in the league), 92.2 per cent of capacity at the Air Canada Centre.[227] Following the success of the 2006–07 season, Toronto became one of the league leaders in season ticket sales for the 2007–08 season.[228]
The Raptor mascot, a red featherlessVelociraptor donning basketball shoes and a jersey numbered 95, after the last two digits of the year of the Raptors' establishment, rallying the crowd during a game.
Another successful run starting in 2013–14 led to a spike in the Raptors' support. For the 2014–15 season, the team sold out the 12,500 season tickets, the first time it occurred since 2011.[229] Public watchings of the Raptors games, particularly during the playoffs, started being held in 2014 atMaple Leaf Square, which the fans nicknamed "Jurassic Park". MLSE decided to endorse this practice by setting up concession stands and branded sponsorships at the square with naming rights sold toFord Motor Company's Canadian operations, along with increased security. At times, footage from the square is broadcast to the Raptors locker room.[230][231] The victorious Game 7 against theIndiana Pacers on the2016 playoffs was the most-watched Raptors broadcast ever and the biggest television audience in Canada that day, averaging 1.53 million viewers with a peak of 2.63 million.[232] This record has since been broken during the Raptors' victorious2019 playoff run, averaging 7.7 million viewers with a peak of 10 million.[233]
The value of the Raptors franchise has risen over the years. In 1998, the franchise was bought for US$125 million. With the continued popularity of the Raptors, the value of the franchise doubled from US$148 million in 2000 to $297 million in 2004. The value of the franchise grew again from $315 million in 2006 to $373 million in 2007, and $400 million in 2008. By 2018,Forbes estimated the Raptors were worth $1.4 billion, 12th in the NBA.[234][235][236][237][238][239]
The Raptormascot, the North Side Crew, and DJ 4 Korners provide in-arena entertainment at Scotiabank Arena during game day.[240][241][242] During the 2013–14 season, a new "Drake Zone" was created in the lower bowl. Limited edition shirts were given away to fans sitting in the Drake Zone.[243] Giveaways are sometimes bundled with tickets to encourage attendance. Further, whenever Toronto scores more than 100 points in a home game and wins, fans can redeem their ticket for acheese orpepperoni pizza slice at standalonePizza Pizza locations throughout Ontario for the business day after the game that was played. This is part of a promotion made by the Raptors' official pizza sponsor.[244] However, beginning in the2018–19 season, the promotion added an extra requirement of purchasing a first slice before receiving the free second slice, though it requires using the Pizza Pizza mobile app instead of using a Raptors ticket, allowing Raptors fans who did not attend the game to receive a free second slice after purchasing a first slice.[245] Beginning in the same NBA season,McDonald's Canadian operations also offer fans in Ontario using the McDonald's Canada mobile app, regardless of game attendance, a free medium-sized serving ofFrench fries with a minimum C$1 purchase of another item the next day after when the Raptors make at least a dozen successful three-pointers in home or away games regardless of outcome.[245] The promotion was then expanded to include McDonald's locations throughout the rest of Canada the following season,[246] but excluded McDonald's restaurants located inQuebec because the chain was already running a similar promotion with theMontreal CanadiensNHL team in that province.[247]
Partnership with Drake
"We The North" re-branding
Toronto-based hip-hop musicianDrake stands courtside during the first round of the2014 playoffs. Drake was named the "global ambassador" for the Raptors in September 2013.
In the lead-up to the team's 20th anniversary season in 2015 and its hosting of the2016 All-Star Game, the Raptors began the process of re-branding itself. On September 30, 2013, Toronto-based rapperDrake was announced as the new "global ambassador" for the Toronto Raptors, thereby joining the executive committee of his hometown's NBA team.[248] In April 2014, the Raptors unveiled a new imaging campaign developed by the agencySid Lee, "We The North", built around amanifesto that was meant to embrace the team's trait of being an "outsider" from the "north side", and the accompanying feelings of players and fans.[249]
The "We The North" campaign was originally to be launched during the 2015–16 season; however, the launch was hastened so it would be ready in time for the 2014 playoffs, taking into account the poor performance of Canada's other pro sports teams at the time. An introductory commercial was quickly filmed, which featured the manifesto as narration, scenes of local basketball players in various outdoor locations around the city, and ended with a scene displaying a black, waving flag with the motto written on it. The campaign was immediately embraced by fans during the playoffs and following season; the launch commercial was viewed over 500,000 times in the two days following its release, "We The North"-branded shirts and flags became a common sight at games, while Ryerson University (nowToronto Metropolitan University) sports marketing professor Cheri Bradish compared the campaign toMolson's former "I Am Canadian"alcohol advertising campaign in how it resonated with the country.[249][250]
On December 19, 2014, the Raptors soft-launched a new logo also designed by Sid Lee, which features a basketball with claw marks. The new logo was officially implemented during the 2015–16 season.[204] The logo's introduction was marred by a disorganized launch, which saw a black and white version initially shown before the eventual unveiling of coloured versions later in the day, mixed reviews for the design itself, with some (especially on the black and white version) comparing it to that of the Brooklyn Nets, and despite teasing merchandise with the new logo, not releasing any until at least mid-2015.[251] There were also alleged tensions between MLSE staff and Drake surrounding the new design—in particular, the performer had pushed for the team to change its primary colour from red to gold (a colour seen in one of the official variants of the logo unveiled that day). In a response on Twitter, Drake distanced himself from the "execution" of the new logo.[252]
Welcome Toronto
In 2018, Drake unveiled the Welcome Toronto program with the Raptors. As a part of the program, the Raptors wore "city edition" uniforms for six home games throughout the2017–18 season. As a salute to the earlier We the North campaign, the uniforms feature a goldchevron with "NORTH" written across it. The six Welcome Toronto home games also featured anOVO-themed black-and-gold home court, with chevrons pointing north.[253] In addition to the Welcome Toronto home games, it was also announced that the Raptors and OVO would donate $1 million in order to refurbish local community basketball courts, as well as another $2 million toCanada Basketball.[254]
2025 commentating ban
In January 2025, Drake was banned from commentating on Toronto Raptors game broadcasts for one year for disparaging former Raptors playerDeMar DeRozan.[255]
Community service
The RaptorsFoundation was the charitable arm of the Raptors, dedicated to assisting Ontario's registeredcharities that support programs and sports initiatives for at-risk children and youth. The Foundation strove 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 had successfully raised more than $14 million between 1995 and 2007, and reached out to thousands of other charities.[256] In 2009, the Raptors Foundation merged with the other charitable arms ofMLSE's other sports franchises to form the MLSE Team Up Foundation.[257]
In 2018, the Raptors, in partnership with Drake, announced the Welcome Toronto program. The program will see the Raptors and OVO contribute $2 million to Canada Basketball over the next four years. In addition, the Raptors and OVO also announced a donation of $1 million over the next three years in order to refurbish four community basketball courts within Toronto city limits. The four courts are located atFlemingdon Community Centre in theNorth York district in the north end of the city,Malvern Community Recreation Centre in theScarborough district in the east end of the city, Matty Eckler Community Centre in theRiverdale neighbourhood of theOld Toronto district just to the east ofdowntown, andThistletown Community Centre in theEtobicoke district in the west end of the city.[253][254]
Rivalries
The Toronto Raptors have a rivalry with both the New York Knicks and the Brooklyn Nets.
New Jersey/Brooklyn Nets
The New Jersey/Brooklyn Nets and the Raptors have been minor rivals since the trade of Vince Carter during the2004–05 season.[258] The rivalry began to heat up as the two teams faced each other in the opening round of the 2007 NBA Playoffs, with the Nets winning the series, 4–2, after a go-ahead shot by Richard Jefferson with 8 seconds left in Game 6 ensuring a 98–97 defeat for the Raptors.[259] The rivalry was rekindled during the2013–14 season when the Nets and Raptors battled for the Atlantic Division. The Raptors won the division final but then faced the Nets in the opening round of the 2014 NBA Playoffs. Prior to Game 1 of the series, Raptors' general manager Masai Ujiri spoke at a Raptors rally outside Air Canada Centre's Maple Leaf Square. During the rally, Ujiri yelled "Fuck Brooklyn!" which found its way onto various social media platforms within minutes. Masai was fined $25,000 by the NBA for the quote and later apologized for the excessive language.[260] The hard-fought series lasted seven games, and was decided in the final seconds whenPaul Pierce blocked Kyle Lowry's shot giving the Nets the 104–103 victory. The two teams met again in the first round of 2020 NBA Playoffs, this time with the Raptors sweeping the Nets in four games, which was the first playoff series that the Raptors swept.[261]
New York Knicks
The New York Knicks and the Raptors are divisional rivals.[261][262] The Raptors made their first-ever playoff appearance during the1999–2000 season, in which they were swept by the Knicks in the first round, 3–0. Thefollowing season, the Raptors redeemed themselves, defeating the Knicks in the first round 3–2; this effectively ended the Knicks' run as perennialNBA championship contenders, which began in the early 1990s.[263]
^Jamshidi, Soheil (October 15, 2020)."Raptors Unveil New Uniforms".Raptors.com. NBA Media Ventures.Archived from the original on November 1, 2020. RetrievedNovember 8, 2020.
^ab"The NBA is coming to Toronto".CBC Digital Archives. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 2021.Archived from the original on March 20, 2017. RetrievedMarch 19, 2017.
^abTedesco, Theresa (December 1997). "Arena wars [The Raptors and the Leafs needed new arenas and it would have been smart to share]".Toronto Life.
^Donovan, Michael Leo (1997).The Name Game: Football, Baseball, Hockey & Basketball How Your Favorite Sports Teams Were Named. Toronto: Warwick Publishing.ISBN1-895629-74-8.
^Young, Chris (May 25, 1994). "'Piston for life' Thomas named Raptors' GM NBA superstar to have 10% stake in new franchise".Toronto Star.
^abCampbell, Neil (December 29, 1995). "Thomas to double stake in Raptors Price undisclosed, but thought to be bargain for Toronto GM".The Globe and Mail.
^Young, Chris (August 13, 1995). "Raptors' Thomas 'voice of reason' in NBA talks".Toronto Star.
^Israelson, David (October 19, 1995). "Thomas is key player on Raptors' court He handles everything but the ball for new basketball squad".Toronto Star.
^abGrange, Michael; Christie, James (November 21, 1997). "Thomas vacates Raptors post Toronto GM quits as contract negotiations with Slaight crumble without 'viable resolution'".The Globe and Mail.
^abTedesco, Theresa (February 13, 1998). "Deal between Raptors and Leafs has a".Canwest.
^MacKenzie, Holly (March 9, 2018)."Game Preview: Raptors vs. Rockets".www.nba.com.Archived from the original on March 10, 2018. RetrievedMarch 10, 2018.This is the earliest date Toronto has ever qualified for the postseason and the fewest games played (64) to qualify
^"Raptors Unveil New Uniforms".www.nba.com (Press release). NBA Media Ventures. August 3, 2015.Archived from the original on August 6, 2015. RetrievedAugust 11, 2015.
^Coon, Larry."NBA Salary Cap FAQ – 2011 Collective Bargaining Agreement".Archived from the original on May 27, 2015. RetrievedApril 13, 2014.If the player is already under contract to, or signs a contract with a non-NBA team, the team retains the player's draft rights for one year after the player's obligation to the non-NBA team ends. Essentially, the clock stops as long as the player plays pro ball outside the NBA.
^"Who We Are".mlsefoundation.org. MLSE Foundation. 2020.Archived from the original on May 7, 2021. RetrievedMay 7, 2021.
^Grange, Michael (2015)."It's time to forgive Vince".sportsnet.ca. Rogers Digital Media.Archived from the original on May 7, 2021. RetrievedMay 7, 2021.
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