If the rest of the league is comprised of your traditional red maple trees, this year’s Toronto Raptors are the redwoods towering above the competition. Even with All-Star point guard Fred VanVleet hurt, the Raptors have planted their feet as the fifth-seed in the Eastern Conference thanks to some unorthodox lineups and a decisive strategy by coach Nick Nurse.
Of the top eight players logging significant minutes without VanVleet, the shortest of the bunch is Gary Trent Jr., a 6-foot-5 wing whose ability to jump into passing lanes and pester ball handlers has grown exponentially since he was dealt to Toronto at the 2021 trade deadline. From there, every player in a significant role for the team is listed as 6-foot-8 or taller.
Never seen a team like this year's Raptors sans FVV. Top 8 rotation players by wingspan:
— Dylan Hunter Carter (@DylanHCarter) November 5, 2022
Trent: 6-foot-9
Porter: 7-foot-1
OG: 7-foot-2
Precious: 7-foot-2
Scottie: 7-foot-2
Spicy P: 7-foot-3
Boucher: 7-foot-4
Koloko: 7-foot-5
Whole squad's looking like Reed Richards #WeTheNorth pic.twitter.com/u7B0ycHmbL
There’s an unprecedented trend blooming in the jumbo Toronto Raptors.
Length, size and athleticism don’t mean much without the functional skill or effort to match. This year’s Raptors squad is a testament to the future of the NBA. Larger players aren’t just confined to the basket anymore. To make it in today’s game, you need to have skill and finesse instead of leaning on size to carry you into a rotation. Every single one of the Toronto Raptors bigs has some level of unique skill, whether it be playmaking, shooting, lateral quickness on defense, or a combination of the three, which they’re using to revolutionize the game before our eyes.