TORONTO RAPTORS FRANCHISE HISTORY
Previous Franchise Names: None
Principal Owner: Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment
General Manager: Masai Ujiri
Head Coach: Dwane Casey
Best Season: 2014-15 (49-33, .598)
Playoff Appearances: 7
NBA Championships: 0
TORONTO – NOVEMBER 3: Vince Carter #15 of the Toronto Raptors holds the ball during the game against the Houston Rockets at the Air Canada Centre on November 3, 2003 in Toronto, Canada. The Raptors won 95 – 88. 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 Dave Sandford/Getty Images)
These are the good old days for the Toronto Raptors, who are in the middle of the most successful stretch in the short history of the franchise.
The team is Toronto’s first pro basketball entry since the Toronto Huskies lasted just one season in the old Basketball Association of America, folding after the league’s inaugural 1946-47 season.
The Raptors came into the NBA along with the Vancouver Grizzlies in 1995 and the franchise’s first superstar, Vince Carter, helped the team to the playoffs for the first time in 2000.
Toronto’s lone series victory came in 2001, a first-round win over the New York Knicks that was followed by a tough seven-game loss to the Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
The Raptors had a resurgence with a new star in Chris Bosh in the middle of the 2000s, but it was short-lived rise that was marked by first-round playoff exits in 2006 and 2007 and the departure of Bosh via free agency after the 2009-10 season.
In 2013-14, Toronto won a franchise-record 48 games before losing a Game 7 heartbreaker at home to the Brooklyn Nets in the first round and in 2014-15, the Raptors posted a new team-best with 49 wins before being swept by the Washington Wizards to open the postseason.
The team has just seven playoff berths in its 21-year history.
Dwane Casey, hired as the Raptors’ coach in 2011, is the winningest coach in franchise history with a mark of 198-178, but is just 3-8 in the playoffs.
Toronto Raptors Career Leaders (as of 3/9/2016)
- Games, Morris Peterson, 542
- Points, Chris Bosh, 10275
- Rebounds, Chris Bosh, 4776
- Assists, Jose Calderon, 3770
- Steals, Doug Christie, 664
- Blocks, Chris Bosh, 600
ATLANTA – DECEMBER 02: Chris Bosh #4 of the Toronto Raptors against the Atlanta Hawks at Philips Arena on December 2, 2009 in Atlanta, Georgia. 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 Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Toronto Raptors Retired Numbers
None
Toronto Raptors Official Links
Official Team Site: nba.com/raptors
Official Twitter Handle: @raptors
Official Facebook Page: Toronto Raptors
Official Instagram Page: Toronto Raptors
Official Arena Page: Air Canada Centre
Toronto Raptors Beat Writers
Doug Smith, The Toronto Star, @smithraps
Mike Ganter, The Toronto Sun, @mike_ganter
Ryan Wolstat, The Toronto Sun, @wolstatsun
Eric Koreen, National Post, @ekoreen
Rachel Brady, Globe & Mail, @rbradyglobe
Michael Grange, Rogers Sportsnet, @michaelgrange
Josh Lewenberg, TSN, @jlew1050
Lori Ewing, The Canadian Press, @ewingsports
Ian Harrison, The Associated Press, @iananywhere
Related Toronto Raptors Blogs and Links
Toronto Raptors Logo History, courtesy of Chris Creamer’s Sportslogos.net
Salary Page: Toronto Raptors Salaries at Spotrac
FanSided Toronto Raptors: Raptors Rapture
SB Nation Toronto Raptors: Raptors HQ
ESPN TrueHoop Toronto Raptors: Raptors Republic
HoopsHabit Toronto Raptors Archive: Toronto Raptors
Bleacher Report Toronto Raptors Team Stream: Toronto Raptors
RealGM Toronto Raptors Page: Toronto Raptors
Stats and retired number information courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com and NBA.com
