Toronto Raptors: Ranking the last 10 first-round picks

TORONTO, ON - JANUARY 12: DeMar DeRozan #10 of the San Antonio Spurs dribbles the ball as Pascal Siakam #43 of the Toronto Raptors defends during the second half of an NBA game at Scotiabank Arena on January 12, 2020 in Toronto, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) /

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Toronto Raptors Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images /

Let’s look back at the recent NBA Draft history of the Toronto Raptors to evaluate how the franchise is doing accumulating young talent.

Player movement has never been so free in the NBA as it is now. Star players have the ability to leverage free agent offers and rich contracts into sport-shattering transactions that alter the landscape of the league annually. Yet teams like the Toronto Raptors still look to the NBA Draft as a well of young talent that can be molded into the next generation’s homegrown superstars.

Over the years, the Raptors have made a number of franchise-defining draft picks. Their first-ever pick was Damon Stoudamire, the seventh overall pick of the 1995 NBA Draft who developed into a star before earning a different reputation with the Portland Trail Blazers. Toronto selected Tracy McGrady in 1997, arguably the best individual player the team has ever taken even if his career didn’t thrive until he moved elsewhere. And Chris Bosh developed into a superstar after being the selected four overall in 2003.

With no first-round picks since 2017, there’s enough of a sample size available to rank the ten most recent first-round selections for the Raptors. For the purposes of this exercise, we’re going to strike the Roy Hibbert selection from the record books – the team selected him 17th overall in 2008, but he was immediately traded for Jermaine O’Neal and never played for the Raptors. Therefore, fan-favorite punching bag Andrea Bargnani slides into the ten most recent first-round choices of the team.

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