Incase you missed it:
13 more numbers are being revealed today, with some blanks in between.
31 – Terrence Ross
5 seasons (2012-17), 363 games. 9.5 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 37.6% 3pt, 2013 Slam Dunk Champion.
(Honourable mention: Charlie Villanueva)
T-Ross is one of quite a few high flyers to play for this franchise. His poster on Kenneth Faried in Denver was probably his best as a Raptor. Ross started consistently on the Raptors first two playoff teams in the Kyle Lowry-DeMar DeRozan era. He also played a role on Toronto’s first trip to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2016. Ross was traded in 2017 to Orlando for Serge Ibaka.
Quick shoutout to Charlie V. He spent his first season in Toronto, had a career-high 48 point game and was the only player to get serious Rookie of the Year consideration behind Chris Paul.
32 – Ed Davis
3 seasons (2010-13), 176 games. 7.7 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 1.0 bpg
Ed Davis was picked 13th overall in the 2010 draft by the Raptors, playing his entire tenure in the transition years after Chris Bosh and before Masai Ujiri’s arrival. Most Raptors who wore 32 just had a cup of tea here, only Mamadou N’Diaye (remember him?) stayed multiple years. Otto Porter Jr. is currently entering his second season with the number.
Davis was a part of the Jose Calderon-Rudy Gay three team trade that saw him dealt to the Grizzlies.
33 – Marc Gasol
2 seasons (2019-2020), 70 games. 8.1 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 3.5 apg, 40% 3pt. 2019 Champion and Parade MVP (I made that up).
(Honourable mentions: Antonio Davis, Gary Trent Jr, Jamario Moon)
For me, this was the hardest choice of this entire list.
Antonio Davis was a part of the Raptors first three playoff teams, most notably the 2002 run where he led the Raptors on a nine game winning streak with Vince Carter sidelined. The Raptors ended up sneaking into the seventh seed and nearly upset the Pistons. Davis was also the first Raptor big man to make the All-Star team in 2001. Numbers and longevity wise (6 seasons), AD makes a very strong case and could easily hold this number. We’ll ignore the time he was worried about the metric system.
While Davis spent his prime in Toronto, Gasol was on the decline. Admittedly, the championship run gets a major bias in decision making and for good reason. That’s what it’s all about right? Gasol’s mastery on the defensive end, playmaking on offence, and occasional shooting played a big role in the Raptors title run. Arguably, there is no championship with Gasol. He was especially needed to slow down Joel Embiid in the second round. Gasol was also Embiid’s primary defender when he returned to Toronto the following season and scored ZERO POINTS.
Then, there is the aforementioned parade, where Gasol was the MVP hands down.
Gasol left a little to be desired in 2020. He was subpar during the bubble playoffs. However examining from all angles, I’m giving Marc #33 by the smallest of margins.
34 – Charles Oakley
3 seasons (1998-2001), 208 games. 7.9 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 3.3 apg, 1.1 spg
Oakley arrived in Toronto for a hefty price (a young Marcus Camby), but he was a vet that the Raptors needed with young stars Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady already here. He challenged Vince to be better (sometimes controversially). Oak was a good rebounder, underrated playmaker and could even knock down the occasional three. Oakley started all but one game in his Raptors tenure. Charles was traded to the Bulls after 2001, but Oak is still one of those guys that gets cheers whenever he returns.
Yes, Hakeem Olajuwon also wore 34 for his final season in Toronto but I think he had better days elsewhere.
35 – Tracy Murray
3 seasons (1995-96, 2001-02), 160 games. 11.0 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 40.6% 3pt
(Honourable Mention: Corliss Williamson)
History lesson: Tracy Murray was the Raptors first sniper. He led the team with 151 threes made in their inaugural season (on 42.2 percent) despite starting in less than half the games. Murray arrived in Toronto looking for an opportunity to play after three seasons in Portland and Houston. He made the most of it (16.2 ppg), earning a contract with the Bullets the next season. Murray then spent a second stint in Toronto on the 2001 and 2002 playoff teams.
36-39 – Unchartered Territory
40 – Willie Anderson
1 season (1995-96), 49 games. 12.4 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 3.0 apg, 1.2 spg
More inaugural content. Willie was an expansion draft pick by the Raptors and started at two guard for half the season. He was dealt to the Knicks in February 1996 along with Victor Alexander for Doug Christie, Herb Williams and cash.
Only two other guys have worn 40. Tim Kempton (5 games) and Ed Stokes (4 games), both within the Raptors first three seasons. This number easily belongs to Willie.
41 – Juancho Hernangomez
1 season (2022-23), 42 games. 2.9 rpg, 2.9 apg
Bo Cruz made the list!
Hernangomez is the only player in Raptors history to wear #41. He made 10 starts, provided some hustle (pun intended) on the boards and made some threes but not at the frequency that the Raptors hoped. Juancho was waived in February.
42 – Donyell Marshall
2 seasons (2003-05), 131 games. 13.8 ppg, 8.7 rpg, 41.0% 3pt
(Honourable Mentions: Walt Williams, Kevin Willis, Jakob Poeltl)
Donyell Marshall arrived in Toronto along with Jalen Rose from the Antonio Davis-Jerome Williams trade and immediately became the best shooting big in Raptors history. He made 40 percent of his threes in both seasons he played. In 2005, Marshall set a new franchise record with 12 in a single game against the 76ers. That tied Kobe Bryant at time for the NBA record, which wasn’t broken until Steph Curry hit 13 in the 2017 season (that has since been broken by Klay Thompson’s 14).
Marshall was also a solid rebounder, averaging a double-double as a starter in his first Raptor season. Unfortunately, this was at the end of the Vince Carter era so Donyell didn’t have any playoff moments in Toronto.
43 – Pascal Siakam
7 seasons (2016-present), 471 games. 17.0 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 3.5 apg. 2019 Most Improved Player, 2019 Champion
A very obvious pick, as Kris Humphries is the only other Raptor to wear 43. Pascal is one of the five greatest Raptors of all-time already, the only question is how long he will remain on the roster. Siakam has been thrown into every role during his seven years in Toronto. He started nearly half the games in his rookie year, then won a G-League Championship with the Raptors 905. P-Skills then went from the Bench Mob in 2018, back to a starter in 2019 and was the second leading scorer on the championship team. After Kawhi Leonard’s departure, Pascal elevated his game to All-Star and second team All-NBA levels. Last seasons’ averages of 24.2 ppg, 7.8 rpg and 5.8 apg offered versatility that no Raptor has ever displayed before, even playing point guard if needed!
Will Siakam remain a Raptor? Only time will tell.
44 – John Wallace
2 seasons (1997-99), 130 games. 12.0 ppg, 4.2 rpg
Sorry to the one Pops Mensah-Bonsu hopeful last week.
Wallace was traded from the Knicks to the Raptors as part of a three team deal in 1997 and averaged a career-high 14 points in his first season. Wallace played significantly less minutes in the 1998-99 campaign with the arrivals of Carter and Oakley. He then signed back with the Knicks as a free agent (and they would eventually trade him again).
45 – Dalano Banton
2 seasons (2021-23), 95 games. 3.7 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 1.4 apg
Rexdale’s very own is currently a member of the Boston Celtics now, but he is the only Raptor to wear 45.
Most people know by now that he wore that number to represent the 45 Kipling bus. Banton had some moments, including a career-high 27 point game. However he was unable to crack the rotation. Still, it had to be cool to for Banton to begin his NBA career at home.
46 – Aron Baynes
1 season (2020-21), 53 games. 6.1 ppg, 5.2 rpg
Aron Baynes replaced the big tandem of Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka during the forgettable Tampa year where nothing went right. Interaction with the Unofficial Aron Baynes fan club on Twitter was fun. Baynes started 31 games but it wasn’t the right fit.
Baynes hasn’t played in the NBA since the 21 season, due to a scary spinal cord injury from a fall during FIBA. Since then, Baynes has re-learned how to walk and is attempting an NBA return.
47-49 – Team M.I.A.
50 – Tyler Hansbrough
2 seasons (2013-15), 138 games. 4.2 ppg, 4.0 rpg
“Psycho T” spent two of his seven seasons in Toronto after being drafted 13th overall by the Pacers. He started occasionally and usually filled the role of bruiser down low, who wasn’t afraid to get into fights either. Solomon Alabi is the only other Raptor to wear 50.
Next Week: We wrap up the list! (51-95)
