Hoops Habit
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Toronto Raptors: Top 5 Draft Picks Since 1995

By Joshua Howe

Oct 18, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers power forward Antawn Jamison (33) and Portland Trail Blazers center Meyers Leonard (11) go for a rebound in the second half of the game at the Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 18, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers power forward Antawn Jamison (33) and Portland Trail Blazers center Meyers Leonard (11) go for a rebound in the second half of the game at the Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 2, 2014; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat forward Chris Bosh (1) in the second half of a game against the Toronto Raptors at American Airlines Arena. The Heat won107-102. Mandatory Credit: Robert Mayer-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 2, 2014; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat forward Chris Bosh (1) in the second half of a game against the Toronto Raptors at American Airlines Arena. The Heat won107-102. Mandatory Credit: Robert Mayer-USA TODAY Sports /

5. Chris Bosh

Taken Fourth Overall in 2003

Your initial thought is likely, “You have CB4 at NUMBER 5?! How much did you drink before making this list?”

Hold your horses. Hindsight is 20/20, but the main thing that kept the selection of Bosh at number five is the fact that the Raptors picked him before one Dwyane Wade, who was taken fifth by Miami.

Looking back, it’s understandable why Toronto would pick a finesse power forward who (very importantly) runs the floor well before a high scoring shooting guard who plays reckless ball.

Still, it’s quite obvious now that Wade was a better player in his heyday than Bosh.

But that doesn’t mean fans didn’t love CB4 with a passion in Toronto. He’s still the second-best player the team has ever had. He gave the Raptors seven great years of individual performance, including his peak statistical season in 2009-10 (his last year with Toronto) in which he averaged 24.0 points, 10.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.0 block on 51.8 percent shooting from the field.

He made it to the playoffs with the team twice (2006-07 and 2007-08), was a five-time All-Star with the Raps and still holds a bunch of franchise records including:

  • First in field goals made (3,614)
  • First in minutes played (18,815)
  • First in free throws made (2,997)
  • First in offensive rebounds (1,369), defensive rebounds (3,407) and total rebounds (4,776)
  • First in blocks (600)
  • First in offensive (42.7), defensive (19.1) and total win shares (61.8)
  • First in points (10,275)

We all know how the Bosh story ends in Toronto. After the Raptors just barely failed to make the playoffs in 2010, the big man decided to join up with Dwyane Wade (Oh, hey again!) in Miami where they were soon after greeted with the news that LeBron James would be uniting with them.

So ended the CB4 era in Toronto, leaving the franchise cold and empty since the team had decided against trading Bosh with the hopes that they’d be able to convince him to stay.

You can’t blame the guy for wanting out though. He gave a team with incompetent management all he had for seven years. Personally, I’m glad he won two titles with the Heat and enjoy seeing him any time he returns to Toronto.

Thanks, CB4. You were a great draft pick. We’ll always have the dreads.

Next: Number 4

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