2021 NBA Draft: A complete history of the Toronto Raptors first round draft picks

Author Photo
pascal-siakam-og-anunoby-051419-ftr-nba-getty

Historically, the Toronto Raptors have built their teams through the NBA Draft, and three members of the Raptors 2020-21 roster were selected by the franchise in the first round.

Since the Raptors' inception in 1995, the team has made 25 first-round picks in the annual draft. Of the selections, just four (Antawn Jamison, Jonathan Bender, Kareem Rush and Roy Hibbert) were traded before appearing with the team.

Toronto has drafted eight players in the first round that would go on to earn All-Rookie team honours, two of which were named the Rookie of the Year.

Four of Toronto's draft selections went on to appear in at least one All-Star Game as a Raptor and earn All-NBA honours with the team and in 2017, Tracy McGrady became the first Hall of Fame inductee to be selected by the Raptors in the NBA Draft.

From Damon Stoudamire in 1995 to Scottie Barnes in 2021, here's a look back at each of the Raptors' first-round selections… 

2021: Scottie Barnes, No. 4 overall

Selecting in the lottery for the first time in five years, the Raptors took Barnes, a 6-foot-8 forward from Florida State University.

In his freshman season at Florida State, Barnes racked up accolades, including Third Team All-ACC, ACC All-Freshman Team, ACC Freshman of the Year and ACC Sixth Man of the Year.

2020: Malachi Flynn, No. 29 overall

The Raptors selected Flynn, a 6-foot-1 point guard from San Diego State University, with the No. 29 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.

After an impressive preseason, Flynn struggled to find his way at first, but a stint in the 2021 NBA G League Bubble got the rookie on track. Named Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month in April, Flynn averaged 12.5 points, 4.5 assists and 4.0 rebounds over the final 24 games of his rookie campaign, a stretch that including four 20-point performances.

2017: OG Anunoby, No. 23 overall

Toronto selected Anunoby out of Indiana with the 23rd pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. The 6-8 forward made 62 regular-season starts and started in all 10 of the Raptors' postseason games in his rookie year. 

After a tumultuous second season, Anunoby took another leap in Year 3 to post averages of 10.6 points and 5.3 rebounds while developing into one of the NBA's most versatile defenders.

2016: Pascal Siakam, No. 27 overall

kawhi-pascal

The 6-9 forward from Cameroon and New Mexico State was the second of two first-round picks the Raptors made in the 2016 draft. In his first two seasons with Toronto, Siakam averaged 6.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game.

After winning Most Improved Player in Year 3, Siakam made another leap in his fourth, starting in the 2020 All-Star Game and earning All-NBA honours for the first time of his career.

Jakob Poeltl , No. 9 overall

Toronto acquired the No. 9 overall pick in 2006 in a trade three years prior with the New York Knicks. It used the pick to select Jakob Poeltl, a 7-0 centre from Austria and the University of Utah. In his first two seasons, Poeltl averaged 5.4 points and 4.1 rebounds per game.

Following his second season, Poeltl was traded to the San Antonio Spurs along with DeMar DeRozan in exchange for Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green.

pascal-siakam-delon-wright-jakob-poeltl

2015: Delon Wright , No. 20 overall

Wright, a 6-5 guard from the University of Utah, was selected 20th by the Raptors in the 2015 NBA Draft. After some ups and downs in his first two seasons, Wright had a breakout third year, averaging 8.0 points, 2.9 assists and 2.9 rebounds in the regular season. The guard elevated his play in the 2018 playoffs, propelling Toronto to multiple wins with big fourth quarter performances.

Along with Jonas Valanciunas, Toronto traded Wright to the Memphis Grizzlies in a package that landed Marc Gasol at the 2019 trade deadline. 

2014: Bruno Caboclo , No. 20 overall

The Raptors selected the 6-9 forward from Brazil with the 20th pick in the 2014 Draft. Caboclo spent much of his duration with the Raptors' G League affiliate, appearing in just 25 NBA games with Toronto in four seasons. On Feb. 8, 2018, Caboclo was traded to the Sacramento Kings.

2012: Terrence Ross , No. 8 overall

Ross, a 6-7 wing from the University of Washington, was selected eighth overall by the Raptors in 2012. His time in Toronto will most be remembered for his career-high 51-point performance in his second season. On Feb. 14, 2017, Ross was traded to the Orlando Magic in the deal that sent Serge Ibaka to the Raptors. 

2011: Jonas Valanciunas , No. 5 overall

After finishing 22-60 in the 2010-11 season, the Raptors used the No. 5 pick in the 2011 draft to select Lithuanian center Jonas Valanciunas. He did not make his NBA debut until the 2012 season, where he would earn All-Rookie Second Team honours by averaging 8.9 points and 6.0 rebounds per game.

Valanciunas was traded to Memphis at the 2019 trade deadline in a package that sent Marc Gasol to the Raptors.

2010: Ed Davis , No. 13 overall

Davis, a 6-10 big from UNC, was taken 13th overall in the 2010 NBA Draft. After two and a half seasons, Davis was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies in a deal that sent Rudy Gay to the Raptors. In 176 games with Toronto, Davis averaged 7.7 points and 6.8 rebounds.

2009:  DeMar DeRozan , No. 9 overall

demar-derozan-2018-all-star

Following a 33-win season in 2008-09, the Raptors selected DeRozan ninth overall in the 2009 draft. As a rookie, he started in 65 of 77 games, averaging 8.6 points and 2.9 rebounds per contest. DeRozan will go down as one of the Raptors' best draft selections – in his first eight seasons, he has averaged 19.7 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game.

He was named to the All-NBA Third Team in 2017 and earned Second Team honours in 2018. DeRozan has been selected to the NBA All-Star Game four times and is the Raptors' all-time scoring leader, having scored over 13,000 points with the franchise.

On July 18, 2018, DeRozan was traded to San Antonio as part of a package that sent 2014 NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard to Toronto.

2006: Andrea Bargnani, No. 1 overall

The Raptors won the draft lottery for the first and only time in 2006. Toronto used the pick to select the 7-0 Italian forward, making him the first-ever European selected with the No. 1 overall pick. Bargnani averaged 11.6 points on 37.6 percent 3-point shooting in his rookie season, earning All-Rookie First Team honours and placing second in Rookie of the Year voting to Brandon Roy. Bargnani was traded to the Knicks in July 2013. In seven seasons with the Raptors, he averaged 15.2 points and 4.8 rebounds in 433 games.

2005: Joey Graham, No. 16 overall

The Raptors acquired the 16th overall pick from the New Jersey Nets in the Vince Carter deal. They used the pick to draft Graham, a 6-7 forward from Oklahoma State. Graham spent four seasons with the Raptors before signing with the Denver Nuggets as a free agent. In 275 games, he averaged 6.4 points and 3.1 rebounds per game with Toronto.

Charlie Villanueva, No. 7 overall

Villanueva, a 6-11 forward from Connecticut, was selected with the seventh overall pick in 2005. He showed much promise in his rookie season, averaging 13.0 points and 6.4 rebounds per game and earning All-Rookie First Team honours. After one season in Toronto, Villanueva was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks for point guard TJ Ford.

2004: Rafael Araujo, No. 8 overall

The Raptors used the eighth pick in the 2004 draft to draft the 6-11 centre from Brazil and BYU. Araujo spent two seasons in Toronto before being traded to the Utah Jazz in a deal surrounding Kris Humphries. In 111 games as a Raptor, Araujo averaged 2.9 points and 3.0 rebounds per game.

2003: Chris Bosh, No. 4 overall

chris-bosh-all-star-ftr

Toronto selected Bosh after a standout season at Georgia Tech. The 6-11 forward made an immediate impact with the Raptors, averaging 11.5 points and 7.4 rebounds in his first season, earning All-Rookie First Team honours.

In seven seasons with Toronto, he was selected to the All-Star Game five times, led the Raptors to the postseason in 2007 and 2008 and earned All-NBA Second Team honours in 2007. In 2010, Bosh left via free agency, signing with the Miami Heat.

In 509 games with Toronto, Bosh averaged 20.2 points and 9.4 rebounds per game; his 4,776 total rebounds are the most all-time in franchise history.

2001: Michael Bradley, No. 17 overall

The 6-10 centre from Villanova was taken with the 17th overall pick in the 2001 NBA Draft. Bradley's rookie season was largely unimpressive, as he averaged 1.2 points in 26 appearances. He improved in his second year, averaging 5.0 points and 6.1 rebounds per game in the 2002-03 season. Injuries marred his third season and he was waived by the Raptors in March 2004. In 98 games as a Raptor, Bradley posted averages of 3.8 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.

2000: Morris Peterson, No. 21 overall

"Mo-Pete" was selected 21st in the 2000 NBA Draft out of Michigan State. The 6-7 wing had an impressive rookie year, averaging 9.3 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game en route to earning All-Rookie First Team honours while the Raptors won 47 games and advanced to the second round of the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.

Peterson spent seven years in Toronto, averaging 12.0 points and 3.8 rebounds while shooting 37.1 percent from beyond the arc. His 801 made 3-pointers are second in franchise history behind Kyle Lowry. He left via free agency in 2008, signing with the New Orleans Hornets.

1999: Aleksandar Radojevic, No. 12 overall

Toronto used the 12th pick in 1999 to select the 7-3 Radojevic from Barton County CC (Kansas). His time with the Raptors may be easy to overlook — he appeared in three games, scoring a total of seven points and pulling down a total of eight rebounds. In January 2001, Radojevic was traded to the Denver Nuggets.

1998:  Vince Carter , No. 5 overall (acquired via trade)

vince-carter-antawn-jamison-052118-ftr

The Raptors had the fourth selection in the 1998 draft and used it to select Antawn Jamison from the University of North Carolina. Toronto proceeded to trade Jamison to the Golden State Warriors for Carter, the fifth pick in the 1998 draft.

Carter posted one of the best rookie seasons in franchise history, averaging 18.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game and was named the 1999 Rookie of the Year. The 6-6 high-flyer electrified the Air Canada Centre from 1998-2004, earning four All-Star nods as a Raptor and All-NBA honours in 2000 (Third Team) and 2001 (Second Team). He also won the dunk contest in 2000, putting on one of the most memorable performances in contest history. Carter was traded to the Nets in December 2004.

In 403 games as a Raptor, Carter averaged 23.4 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.9 rebounds per game. 

1997: Tracy McGrady, No. 9 overall

Toronto used the ninth pick in 1997 to draft the 6-8 18-year-old from Mount Zion Christian Academy. McGrady saw limited time in much of his rookie season, posting solid averages of 7.0 points and 4.2 rebounds in 64 games.

His third and final season as a Raptor was his best — he averaged 15.4 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.0 rebounds per game as a reserve and was named the NBA's Most Improved Player in 2001. In the 2001 offseason, he signed with the Magic as a free agent.

In 192 games with Toronto, McGrady averaged 11.1 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. 

1996: Marcus Camby, No. 2 overall

Despite having the Rookie of the Year in the 1995-96 season, the expansion Raptors finished 21-61 and won the second overall pick in the 1996 draft. Toronto selected the 6-11 Camby, the 1996 National Player of the Year from the University of Massachusetts.

Camby earned All-Rookie first team honours, averaging 14.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.1 blocks in his first season. In his second year, the centre averaged 12.1 points, 7.4 rebounds and a league-leading 3.7 blocks per game. In the offseason of 1998, Camby was traded to the Knicks for veteran big man Charles Oakley.

1995: Damon Stoudamire, No. 7 overall

Stoudamire, the first draft selection in Raptors franchise history, was a big hit. The 5-10 point guard from Arizona averaged 19.0 points, 9.3 assists and 4.0 rebounds in his first season and was named 1996 Rookie of the Year. He is the shortest player to ever win the award. 

"Mighty Mouse" spent two and a half seasons in Toronto, averaging 19.6 points, 8.8 assists and 4.1 rebounds per game. He was traded to Portland in February 1998.

damon-stoudamire-052118-ftr

The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NBA or its clubs.

Author(s)
Gilbert McGregor Photo

Gilbert McGregor is an NBA content producer for The Sporting News.