Toronto Raptors: Ranking the last 10 first-round picks

1. DeMar DeRozan

One day, Siakam will top this list. Until then, shooting guard DeMar DeRozan still deserves the top spot as one of the greatest homegrown stars in Raptors history.

The Toronto Raptors selected DeRozan out of USC with the ninth pick in the 2009 NBA Draft. Coming into the league after just one year in college, DeRozan’s struggles were quickly evident. He averaged just 8.6 points per game as a rookie.

Still, he became a full-time starter for good during the 2010-11 season (he hasn’t come off the bench a single time since), starting all 82 games and averaging 17.2 points per game. That season also permanently exposed a fatal flaw at the three-point line, as he shot just 9.6 percent from that distance.

After two more high-scoring seasons, DeRozan broke through in 2013-14, averaging 22.7 points per game and making his first All-Star appearance; he would make three more All-Star Games with the team. His best season came in 2016-17, when he averaged 27.3 points per game.

After the 2017-18 season, the Toronto Raptors brass decided something needed to change. Despite his decade of service to the team and a legendary friendship with Kyle Lowry, the Raptors dealt DeRozan to the Spurs in the deal that brought Leonard (and a title) to Toronto.

In nine seasons with the team, DeRozan averaged 19.8 points per game. In addition to his four All-Star trips, he also made All-NBA Third Team once and All-NBA Second team once.