There is plenty of talk about the new season knocking about so we thought we’d change the pace of things with a look back at some legends.
Here we look at the best power forwards in Toronto Raptors history.
5. Andrea Bargnani
We kick off with a controversial one that a lot of Raptors fans might not totally agree with; it’s Andrea Bargnani. We think Bargnani should be on this list despite the fact that he never ended up becoming what fans had hoped from him when he was drafted back in 2006.
They thought he would be a superstar; he simply did not hit those heights. If we were being brutal, we could describe his defense as atrocious and his rebounding as close to non-existent, which is bonkers when at 7’0 he’s one of the tallest players in the NBA.
Despite that you have to recognize Bargnani’s strengths too. He was a solid starter and averaged 21.4 points per game for three seasons. That type of efficiency and scoring capability throws him into the number five slot.
4. Antonio Davis
When it comes to putting up double doubles Antonio Davis was the man during his playing time with the Toronto Raptors albeit he needed Vince Carter to move on from the franchise before his qualities really shone through. In the post Carter era, Davis stepped up in a huge way by leading the scoring charts for a couple of years.
His best season saw him average 14.5 points, 9.6 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game; it was a set of stats that saw Davis earn All-Star honours. Was he a flashy player? No, he was not. What he was though was a physical beast that worked his socks off before really coming alive inside the paint.
3. Serge Ibaka
Next up in our list of the best Power Forwards in Toronto Raptors history is Serge Ibaka. That’s right, some people might forget the contributions Ibaka made to the team but not us; he deserves to sit in this bronze medal position. His displays – along with Kawhi Leonard’s – were critical to the Raptors winning the championship back in 2019.
Ibaka wasn’t always a fantastic scoring option but that season he was remarkable shooting 40% from behind the arc and 52% from the field. It wasn’t those numbers that made him the star he was though; he was more known in Toronto for his incredible defensive instincts. The main attribute Ibaka possessed in that sense was his foot movement, which meant he was always able to stay in front of his matchup.
2. Pascal Siakam
Another name that will go down in Raptors folklore is Pascal Siakam. He is just 27 years old but is already one of the best Power Forwards in Toronto Raptors history. His career didn’t go off like a train but instead he’s made slow and steady progress.
Over the past couple of seasons he’s worked his way into the rotation and after the aforementioned Leonard joined the team, Siakam took his game to another level; he won the Most Improved Player award the same season that Toronto won the championship. Siakam is now known as the face of the Raptors and has a big contract extension to show for it.
1. Chris Bosh
Topping this list is Chris Bosh and it is hard to imagine anybody ever taking this mantle. It’s no surprise he makes the list for the top 10 best NBA power forwards of all time according to TwinSpires.com.
Bosh is undoubtedly the greatest Raptor to ever grace the floor at the power forward position. He may not be the greatest player in franchise history - players like Kyle Lowry, DeMar DeRozan and Vince Carter have taken those seats - but Bosh was phenomenal with the organisation. To this day he is still the franchise leader in rebounds and shot blocker.
On top of that, he happens to be second in total scoring behind only DeRozan. His defense and impact to the Raptors constantly made them a force and they were consistently making the playoffs courtesy of his play.
There you have it, the best Power Forwards in Toronto Raptors history. Did we miss any name? Let us know in the comments below.
