Toronto Raptors Biography: Players, Net Worth, History, and Stats

Tronto Raptors is a Canadian professional basketball team. The Raptors compete in the NBA league as a member of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. The Raptors, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, were founded in 1995 as part of the NBA’s expansion into Canada. Since the 2001–02 season, the Raptors have been the only Canadian-based team in the league, as the Grizzlies relocated from Vancouver to Memphis, Tennessee.

Toronto Raptors Profile

The team was formalized on November 4, 1993, when the NBA Board of Governors endorsed the decision of the Expansion Committee and awarded its 28th franchise to a group headed by Toronto businessman John Bitove for a then-record expansion fee of US$125 million. The Raptors and the Vancouver Grizzlies played their first game on November 3, 1995. Here are some of the details of the Toronto Raptors:

Team Information	Details
Founded	1995
Owner	Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment
City	Toronto
Nickname	The Raptors
Stadium	Scotiabank Arena
Capacity	19,800
Conference	Eastern
Division	Atlantic
Head Coach	Darko Rajakovic
Networth	$4.4 Billion

Toronto Raptors History

The Toronto Raptors struggled in their early years, but after the acquisition of Vince Carter in 1998, their fortunes changed, the franchise set league-attendance records and made the NBA playoffs in 2000, 2001, and 2002. Carter was phenomenal in leading the team to their first playoff series win in 2001, where they reached the Eastern Conference semifinals. During the 2002–03 and 2003–04 seasons, they failed to make significant progress, and Carter was traded in 2004 to the New Jersey Nets. After Carter, Chris Bosh emerged as the team leader. In the 2007–08 season, they also advanced to the playoffs but failed to reach the postseason in each of the next five seasons. Colangelo overhauled the team’s roster for the 2009–10 season in a bid to persuade pending free agent Bosh to stay, but Bosh departed to sign with the Miami Heat in July 2010, which initiated the era of rebuilding for the Raptors.

Masai Ujiri replaced Colangelo in 2013 and helped herald a new era of success, led by a backcourt duo of DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry. The Raptors returned to the playoffs the following year and became a consistent playoff team in every year of Ujiri’s tenure. Under Ujiri, the team also won five Division titles and registered their most successful regular season in 2018. However, the team’s failure to reach the NBA Finals prompted Ujiri to fire head coach Dwane Casey after the 2018 playoffs concluded and to trade DeRozan for Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green later that summer, as well as to acquire Marc Gasol before the trade deadline. Toronto also saw the break-out of Pascal Siakam, the 27th overall pick in the 2016 NBA draft, who won the NBA Most Improved Player that year.

In the 2019 playoffs, the Raptors won their first Eastern Conference title and advanced to their first NBA Finals, where they won their first NBA championship. After the Raptors won their first championship, Leonard left in free agency. After Lowry’s departure via trade in 2021, Siakam became the face of the franchise until 2024 when Siakam was traded to the Indiana Pacers, leaving Scottie Barnes as the new face of the franchise.

Also Read: Milwaukee Bucks Biography: Players, Net Worth, History, Stats

Toronto Raptors Stats

The Toronto Raptors’ recent performance has been a mixed bag. Their win-loss record is currently 21-36, which puts them 12th in the Eastern Conference. In their last 10 games, they’ve gone 7-3, showing some signs of improvement. Looking at their stats, the Raptors are averaging 110.7 points per game, which ranks 21st in the league, while giving up 116.3 points per game, which ranks 24th. The Raptors mainly struggled with consistency, especially on the defensive end.

In terms of individual performances, Scottie Barnes has been a bright spot, averaging 18.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game since the beginning of February. ​

Season	GP	W	L	Playoffs	Head Coach
2023-24	82	25	41	–	Darko Rajakovic
2022-23	82	41	57	–	Nick Nurse
2021-22	82	48	41	Lost First round	Nick Nurse
2020-21	72	27	34	–	Nick Nurse
2019-20	72	53	45	Lost Conference Semi Final	Nick Nurse
2018-19	82	58	19	Won NBA Finals	Nick Nurse
2017-18	82	59	24	Lost Conference Semi Final	Dwane Casey
2016-17	82	51	23	Lost Conference Semi Final	Dwane Casey
2015-16	82	56	31	Lost Conferencde Semi Final	Dwane Casey
2014-15	82	49	26	Lost First Round	Dwane Casey

Toronto Raptors Famous Players

The Toronto Raptors, alongside the Vancouver Grizzlies, became the first Canadian NBA franchises in 1995. This means the 2024-25 season will mark the 30th since Toronto got its own NBA franchise. Over that time, the Raptors have been graced with multiple star players and a championship in the 2018-19 season. To celebrate the Raptors’ 30th season, let’s look at the four most significant players to ever suit up for Toronto. 

#5. Kawhi Leonard

Leonard’s stint in Toronto Raptors may have been brief, but his legacy will always be the Most Valuable Player on the first championship team the franchise has ever seen. The bouncing buzzer beater versus Philly, the dunk on Giannis, the domination of the Warriors — Leonard’s resume was fortified in a dominant playoff run. Not only did he become the third Finals MVP to have won the award with two teams, he is also the first person to win Finals MVP with a team from each conference. Facing double and at times triple teams and often performing on one leg, Leonard scored 732 points during the 2019 playoffs, the third-highest scoring total for a single NBA post-season.

#4. Chris Bosh

The Raptors drafted Chris Bosh with the fourth pick in the 2003 draft. Bosh joined a veteran group led by Vince Carter—at least, that’s what it seemed like in his rookie year. By the end of his second season, Carter was long gone, leaving the Raptors needing a new star. Bosh more than answered Toronto’s calls for a new northern star, making his first of many All-Stars the following season. From there, Bosh established himself as a bona fide star and the driving force behind the Raptors’ third-best era. His time with the Raptors would end in the 2011 offseason when he took his talents to South Beach. He ended his time in Toronto as a five-time All-Star and a one-time All-NBA player, leading the Raptors to two postseason appearances.

#3. Vince Carter

Vince Carter brought life to the Toronto Raptors, he won Rookie of the Year and helped the team win seven more games than the previous season. The fans loved Carter. His supreme athleticism captivated an entire generation of not just Canadian fans but basketball fans globally. This helped put the Raptors on the map for the first time in history. Carter led Toronto to its first-ever postseason in his sophomore year. From there, Carter would lead the Raptors to two more playoffs, even making it to the second round in 2001, making it the second-most successful era for the Raptors. While his time with the Raptors ended on a low note, Carter carried the franchise for years. While playing for Toronto, Carter made five All-Stars and two All-NBA teams, becoming the first Raptor to earn both honors.

#2. DeMar DeRozan

DeRozan, along with another Raptor, is the face of the team’s most successful era. However, it didn’t start like this for DeRozan. He was drafted at the end of Bosh’s run with Toronto, inheriting a team far from competing. In his first four years with the team, DeRozan didn’t look like the star the Raptors needed. That all changed in his fifth season when he and the team finally broke through. DeRozan was named to his first All-Star team and helped carry the Raptors to their first postseason in five seasons. From there, the Raptors entered the best era of Toronto basketball. He helped lead the team to 5 straight playoff appearances, including one conference finals appearance and 3 second-round showings. With the Raptors, DeRozan would make four All-Stars and two All-NBA teams before being traded.

#1. Kyle Lowry

Like DeRozan, you can’t talk about the Raptors without mentioning Kyle Lowry. Lowry is the only player on this list who wasn’t drafted by Toronto, having been acquired in a trade with Houston. Yet Lowry feels more like a Raptor than anyone else on this list. Lowry fully embraced the city and the people of Toronto and was a vital part of the team, which finally won a championship in 2019. Lowry was the second-driving force behind the start of the greatest era of Raptors basketball and was a part of the team until it ended in the 2020-21 Tampa season. Lowry made six All-Star teams and one All-NBA team in his time with the Raptors and will have his jersey retired once he laces them up for the last time.

Toronto Raptors Roster

Mostly young players are part of the Toronto Raptors current season roster. In this roster, 19-year-old Ulrich Chomche is the youngest, and 39-year-old P.J. Tucker is the oldest player in this list. These Stats are taken from ESPN –

Name	Position	Age
Ochai Agbaji	Guard	24
Scottie Barnes	Small Forward	23
RJ Barrett	Small Guard	24
Jamison Battle	Forward	23
Chris Boucher	Point Forward	32
Ulrich Chomche	Center	19
Gradey Dick	Guard	21
Brandon Ingram	Small Forward	27
A.J. Lawson	Guard	24
Jonathan Mogbo	Forward	23
Eugene Omoruyi	Forward	28
Jakob Poeltl	Center	29
Immanuel Quickley	Small Guard	25
Jared Rhoden	Guard	25
Orlando Robinson	Center	24
Jamal Shead	Guard	22
Garrett Temple	Small Forward	38
P.J. Tucker	Point Forward	39
Ja’kobe Walter	Guard	20

Toronto Raptors Head Coach

Darko Rajakovic, a Serbian professional basketball coach, is the head coach of the Toronto Raptors. Rajakovic was the head coach of the Tulsa 66ers of the NBA G League for two seasons and the first head coach in NBA G League history born outside of North America. He was an assistant coach for the Oklahoma City Thunder, Phoenix Suns, and Memphis Grizzlies before becoming the head coach of the Toronto Raptors.

Rajakovic earned his degree in basketball coaching from the Belgrade Basketball Academy in 2004 and earned his degree in sports management from Alfa BK University in 2006. Rajaković began his coaching career at 16 years old with Borac Cacak in Cacak, Serbia. Following his three-year stint in Cacak, Rajakovic was named the head coach for the Crvena Zvezda youth system in Belgrade. During his eight years in Belgrade, Rajakovic led Crvena Zvezda to two Serbian Youth championships. To increase his basketball coaching acumen and knowledge, Rajakovic spent time with Lute Olson at the University of Arizona (2003) and Mike Krzyzewski at Duke University (2007) and attended team practices and meetings at both universities. From 2004 to 2011, Rajaković served as a scouting consultant and NBA Summer League assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs.

Toronto Raptors Owner

Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE), one of the world’s premier sports and entertainment companies, owns the Toronto Raptors in the NBA. The Raptors have been owned by this company since February 1998. It was founded by Conn Smythe in 1931. Larry Tanenbaum is the chairman of MLSE, but unlike New York Knicks owner James Dolan, he isn’t viewed as the owner of the Raptors. Since the Raptors don’t have a physical owner, decision-making is often left to the front office. Masai Ujiri is currently the president of the Raptors, and Bobby Webster is the GM. Ujiri is more known to operate with logic than sentimentality, as he traded franchise icon DeMar DeRozan to the San Antonio Spurs for Kawhi Leonard, in one of the biggest Toronto Raptors trades in franchise history.

Also Read: Detroit Pistons Biography: Players, Net Worth, History, and Stats

Toronto Raptors Net worth

As of 2024, the Toronto Raptors NBA franchise is valued at $4.4 billion. This is a 7% increase from 2023, when the franchise was valued at $4.1 billion. The Raptors are ranked 11th among the most valuable NBA teams. The Raptors have only paid the luxury tax once in the last 20 years, in the 2018-19 season. This season was when the Raptors won their first NBA championship. Forbes considers a number of factors when valuing NBA teams, including the number of wins per player payroll. Playoff wins count double as much as regular season wins. 

Sponsorship and broadcasting contributions play a significant role in the team’s revenue. The Raptors have secured a jersey patch sponsorship deal, estimated to be worth between million and million per year. Sportsnet has announced several sponsors for the Raptors’ 2024-25 season broadcast, including BetMGM. The Raptors have a significant partnership with Sun Life Financial, which is reportedly worth more than a million per year.

Toronto Raptors Stadium

Toronto Raptors home games are hosted by Scotiabank Arena. It is a sports arena in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The arena opened in April 1999 as Air Canada Centre (ACC), and is the current home to the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL), the Toronto Raptors of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the former home of the Toronto Rock of the National Lacrosse League (NLL). It holds 19,800 seats for basketball and 18,819 for hockey. The arena has also been the host of many concerts and WWE events over the years.

In August 2017, as the arena’s sponsorship contract with Air Canada was nearing its end, MLSE announced that it had made a new deal with Scotiabank that took effect and Air Canada Centre was renamed as Scotiabank Arena on July 1, 2018. The current deal runs for 20 years and is worth C$800 million. But with Scotiabank breaking the new deal with Pagani, Scotiabank Arena was renamed Pagani Arena on January 7, 2025.

Toronto Raptors Championships

The Toronto Raptors have won 1 NBA championship in their franchise history. They secured the title in 2019 by defeating the Golden State Warriors in six games (4-2) in the NBA Finals. The Toronto Raptors’ historic win marked the first time a team outside the United States won the NBA championship. Kawhi Leonard was named the NBA Finals MVP, he averaged 28.5 points per game throughout the series.

Toronto Raptors Records

Since their inception in 1995, the Raptors have made the playoffs thirteen times, advancing past the first round six times. The Raptors have won the Atlantic Division seven times, and the franchise record number of wins in the regular season is 59 (2018). The Raptors advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals twice (2016 and 2019). Only once did the Raptors reach and win the NBA Finals (2019). Nine Raptors have been selected to play in the All-Star game. With the exception of Davis, VanVleet, and Barnes, these players also made All-NBA teams, while Leonard has also made the All-NBA Defensive team. Two Raptors coaches have also made the All-Star game: Dwane Casey in 2018 and Nick Nurse in 2020. In 2020, the Raptors went on a 15-game winning streak and set a new record for the longest winning streak by a Canadian-based professional sports franchise.

Also Read: Brooklyn Nets Biography: Players, Net Worth, History, Stats