NBA: Top 5 Greatest Raptors of all time

The Toronto Raptors entered the league in 1995 and since then, over 200 players have suited up for the Six. Although the Raptors have yet to win a single chip, there have been players from the Six who dazzled us with killer crossovers, acrobatic shots, emphatic blocks, and breath-taking throwdowns.

In this piece, we will be taking an in-depth look at the five greatest players to ever play at the North of the Border. Unlike any other list, this piece will focus mainly on the impact of players in Toronto and in Canada basketball as a whole. So let's get started.

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#5 Damon Stoudamire

Pacific v Gonzaga

Before Damon Stoudamire called the shots for the University of Pacific, the Mighty Mouse played for the Raptors during its inaugural season after being selected with the seventh overall pick in the 1995 NBA Draft.

Stoudamire, who was the first-ever pick in the team's history, showed some flashes of brilliance in his time with Toronto averaging a franchise-leading 8.8 assists per game. During his rookie year, Stoudamire posted stellar averages of 19.9 points and nine assists per game while hitting a rookie-record of 133 threes in a season.

For his exquisite play, Stoudamire was recognized by the league as the 1995-96 NBA Rookie of the Year.

In his three seasons with Toronto, Stoudamire put up 19.6 points, 8.8 assists, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.5 steals. His best year with the team came in during his sophomore season wherein he tallied 20.2 points, 8.8 assists, and 4.1 rebounds.

However, Stoudamire's time with the Raptors was cut short when he joined the Portland Trail Blazers during the 1997-1998 season. After leaving the Raptors, Stoudamire never recaptured his old form back as he failed to crack the 15 points per game mark with the Trail Blazers, the Memphis Grizzlies, and the San Antonio Spurs.

#4 Kyle Lowry

Toronto Raptors v Golden State Warriors

Another court general in this list is Kyle Lowry. Since joining the Toronto Raptors in the 2012-2013 NBA season, the 6-foot-1 point guard has been playing on a high level, posting impressive numbers of 17.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 1.5 steals while shooting 42.7 percent from the field and 37.9 from the three-point country.

Lowry has also been named to the NBA All-Star team four times while playing for the Raptors. Other than that, the diminutive point guard was also named as Player of the Month, a few times in his storied Raptor career.

In addition, Lowry has also been a consistent threat for the Raptors in the playoffs, averaging 17.9 points, 6.2 assists, and 4.4 rebounds. At present, Lowry is sixth in games played and fourth in points as well as first in both steals and three-pointers made.

#3 Chris Bosh

Toronto Raptors v Orlando Magic

Before Chris Bosh left the Raptors in the summer of 2010, the former fourth overall pick was the team's all-time leader in points, rebounds, blocks, and double-doubles. Simply put, Bosh was a real monster in the court.

Bosh, who joined the Raptors in 2004 immediately made an impact as he averaged 11 points, seven boards, and one block in his first season to be named in the All-Rookie first team. His real challenge, however, came in when the Raptors traded then-franchise player Vince Carter to the New Jersey Nets.

Bosh stepped up to the occasion, averaging 20.2 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in his tenure with the Raptors but failed to take the team into greater success. His best season as a Raptor came in during the 2009-2010 season wherein he posted 24.0 points, 10.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.0 blocks per game.

#2 DeMar DeRozan

Toronto Raptors v Cleveland Cavaliers - Game Three

The DeMar DeRozan era abruptly ended this offseason when the Raptors decided to trade him along with Jakob Poeltl to the San Antonio Spurs in exchange for Danny Green and Kawhi Leonard.

However, DeRozan gave Raptors fans something to remember during his nine years playing for the six, when he scored a franchise-record of 52 points against the Minnesota Timberwolves, eclipsing Vince Carter and Terrence Ross' 51 points. One of the best moments of DeRozan's Raptor career was when he scored 32 points in the playoffs to beat the Milwaukee Bucks in six games.

In his stint with the Raptors, DeRozan scored 13,296 points, 2,739 rebounds, and 2,078 assists. His best year came in during the 2016-17 season wherein he registered 27.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.7 assists while converting 46.7 percent of his shots from the field. Overall, DeRozan averaged 19.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.0 steals in his time with Toronto.

#1 Vince Carter

Toronto Raptors v Atlanta Hawks

Like it or not, Carter was, is, and will be the greatest Raptor of all time. The former University of North Carolina star immediately made a name for himself during his first year with the Raptors, posting 18.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.5 blocks, and 1.1 steals to pocket the NBA Rookie of the Year plum.

Carter increased his average by seven points the next season to lead the Raptors in its first playoff appearance wherein they'd eventually lose to a much more experience New York Knicks squad. However, his impact during the 2001 NBA playoffs was probably the best moment in franchise history and I certainly don't blame him for attending his graduation.

Carter traded 50-point games with then league MVP Allen Iverson and the Philadelphia 76ers before ultimately falling to the latter in seven games. To date, that Game 7 is still the highest-grossing non-Finals game in NBA history.

While Carter's departure put the Raptors back by a million years, I believe that the former NBA Slam Dunk champion deserves all the credit in the world to be recognized as the greatest Raptor of all time. Just look at this, when you think Chicago, you think Michael Jordan. When you think Toronto, you think Vince Carter.