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 Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images /

7. Jakob Poltl

Jakob Poltl wasn’t in Toronto for a long time. He did prove to be an effective player off the bench for the two years he spent in Canada after becoming the ninth overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft out of Utah (the Utes were clearly a favorite scouting location of the Raptors front office over the past decade).

Poltl made immediate history with the Raptors, becoming the first Austrian to both be drafted and play in the NBA. The big man spent part of his rookie season in the NBA’s D-League (now the G-League), but still managed to play in 54 games, making four starts while averaging 3.1 points and 3.1 rebounds per game.

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During his second season, the 7’1″ center took the next step in his development, playing in all 82 games (while somehow failing to make a single spot start all year). His numbers gradually rose, as he averaged 6.9 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game, shooting 65.9 percent from the field.

That development was a big factor in Poltl’s inclusion in the deal that netted the Raptors Kawhi Leonard ahead of the 2018-19 championship season. He played in 77 games for the San Antonio Spurs in 2018-19, seeing a dip in his scoring numbers but an improvement to a career-high 5.3 rebounds per game. Poltl also started all seven of the team’s postseason games.

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