The1998–99 Toronto Raptors season was the fourth season for theToronto Raptors in theNational Basketball Association.^[1] Due to alockout, the regular season began on February 5, 1999, and was cut from 82 games to 50.^[2]

The Raptors received the fourth overall pick in the1998 NBA draft, and selected small forwardAntawn Jamison from theUniversity of North Carolina, but soon traded him to theGolden State Warriors in exchange for his "UNC" college teammate, shooting guard and fifth pickVince Carter along with cash considerations,^[3][4][5] who is also second-year starTracy McGrady's cousin.^[6] During the off-season, the team acquiredCharles Oakley from theNew York Knicks,^[7][8][9] acquiredKevin Willis from theHouston Rockets,^[10][11][12] and signed free agent and second-year centerMichael Stewart.^[13]

During the regular season, the Raptors moved into their new arena, theAir Canada Centre.^[14][15] With the addition of Carter, the Raptors got off to a 6–12 start to the regular season, then played their best basketball by winning 12 of their next 14 games,^[16] while posting their first monthly winning record at 11–6 in March. However, they lost 13 of their final 18 games of the season, and finished in sixth place in theCentral Division with a 23–27 record.^[17]

Carter averaged 18.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game, and was named theNBA Rookie of the Year, and also named to theNBA All-Rookie First Team.^[18][19][20] In addition,Doug Christie averaged 15.2 points and 2.3 steals per game, while Willis provided the team with 12.0 points and 8.3 rebounds per game, and sixth manDee Brown contributed 11.2 points per game off the bench, and led the league with 135 three-point field goals. Meanwhile, McGrady averaged 9.3 points and 5.7 rebounds per game also off the bench, while Oakley averaged 7.0 points and 7.5 rebounds per game,John Wallace contributed 8.6 points per game off the bench, and second-year guardAlvin Williams contributed 5.0 points and 2.6 assists per game.^[21]

Carter also finished tied in 16th place inMost Valuable Player voting,^[22] while Brown finished tied in fifth place inSixth Man of the Year voting,^[22] McGrady finished tied in eighth place inMost Improved Player voting, while Brown finished tied in tenth place,^[22] and head coachButch Carter finished tied in eighth place inCoach of the Year voting.^[22]

The Raptors finished tenth in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 439,190 at the SkyDome and Air Canada Centre during the regular season.^[21][23] Following the season, Wallace re-signed as a free agent with his former team, theNew York Knicks,^[24][25] andReggie Slater was released to free agency.

• June 25, 1998 – The Raptors tradeMarcus Camby to theNew York Knicks in exchange forCharles Oakley.
• January 21, 1999 – The Raptors tradeChauncey Billups to theDenver Nuggets for the Nuggets first-round pick in the1999 NBA draft.

^[26]

Carter was drafted by the NBA'sGolden State Warriors 5th overall and then traded to theToronto Raptors forAntawn Jamison, his UNC college teammate and best friend.

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	College
1	4	Antawn Jamison(traded toGolden State)	SF/PF	United States	North Carolina
2	47	Tyson Wheeler	PG	United States	Rhode Island

1998–99 Toronto Raptors roster

Players

Coaches

Pos. No. Player Height Weight DOB From G 7 Dee Brown 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 160 lb (73 kg) 1968–11–29 Jacksonville G/F 15 Vince Carter 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1977–01–26 North Carolina G 13 Doug Christie 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1970–05–09 Pepperdine G 11 Negele Knight 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 1967–03–06 Dayton F 22 Sean Marks  6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 250 lb (113 kg) 1975–08–23 California F 1 Tracy McGrady 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1979–05–24 Mt. Zion Christian Academy HS(NC) F/C 34 Charles Oakley 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 225 lb (102 kg) 1963–12–18 Virginia Union F 35 Reggie Slater 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1970–08–27 Wyoming F/C 4 Michael Stewart 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1975–04–25 California F/C 12 John Thomas 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 265 lb (120 kg) 1975–09–08 Minnesota F 44 John Wallace 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 225 lb (102 kg) 1974–02–09 Syracuse G 20 Alvin Williams 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1974–08–06 Villanova G 14 Micheal Williams  6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 1966–07–23 Baylor C 42 Kevin Willis 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1962–09–06 Michigan State

Head coach Butch Carter Assistant(s) Joe Harrington Brian James Jim Thomas Legend (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended Injured Roster Updated: February 19, 1999

• The Raptors played their final game atSkydome on February 19, 1999.
• The first Raptors game atAir Canada Centre took place on February 21, 1999, versus theVancouver Grizzlies.

• Vince Carter, NBA Rookie of the Year
• Vince Carter, NBA All-Rookie First Team

• 1998–99 Toronto Raptors season at Basketball Reference
• 1998–99 Toronto Raptors season at Database Basketball

• Toronto Raptors seasons
• 1998–99 NBA season by team
• 1998 in Toronto
• 1999 in Toronto
• 1998–99 in Canadian basketball by team

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