Toronto Raptors: Top 10 NBA Draft picks in franchise history

6. Andrea Bargnani (PF) — No. 1 pick in 2006 NBA Draft

Career stats (with the Raptors): 433 GP, 15.2 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 1.3 APG, 0.4 SPG, 0.9 BPG, 1.7 TOV, 43.7 FG%, 36.1 3P%, 82.5 FT%

After a season that saw them win just 27 games, the Raptors were awarded the No. 1 pick in the 2006 Draft, their first time with that pick in the team’s history. With that selection, they took Andrea Bargnani out of Italy.

Standing 7’0″ with a smooth outside shot, Bargnani looked to be the next stretch-big from Europe. Maybe not as good as Dirk Nowitzki, but productive nonetheless.

Lots of Raptors fans hold ill feelings towards Bargnani, which may have something to do with six-time All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge being taken one spot later, but Bargnani had a solid career in Toronto.

He was never even a passable defender, but he scored the ball at a nice clip — peaking in 2010-11 with 21.4 points per game — and he shot 36.1 percent from beyond the arc in his seven years playing for the Raptors.

Maybe being the first overall pick put unreasonable expectations on Bargnani, as he never became that franchise-leading talent that’s expected from guys taken that high. Or maybe the lack of effort on the defensive end is what really pissed fans off, as he never posted a positive defensive win share total in any year of his career.

Whatever the reason, Bargnani still proved to be a productive offensive player, which can’t be said about a good chunk of top picks in years past.