With the NBA draft kicking off later today, and since I’ve been taking a trip down memory lane with my new weekly trade tree series, it seemed like a fun idea to look back on the past 10 Raptors drafts and rank the best 10 picks from 2015-2025.
For a piece like this, it’s no fun if we just rank the players themselves, that’s too obvious and defeats the purpose. Instead, rankings will take into account the quality of the player, but also factors in where they were drafted. So, just because someone is ranked higher than another player on this list doesn’t mean I think they are a better player, just that the pick was higher relative value. I’m also looking at the player’s entire career, not just their time in Toronto.
Over the last 10 years, the Raptors made a total of 19 draft selections, and their track record overall is pretty solid. Let’s start with those that didn’t make the top 10.
Didn’t make the cut
Of the 19 total selections, there was pretty clearly seven guys who were not going to be in consideration for the top 10:
Dewan Hernandez, drafted 59th overall in 2019; Malachi Flynn, drafted 29th overall in 2020; Jalen Harris, drafted 59th overall in 2020; David Johnson, drafted 47th overall in 2021; Christian Koloko, drafted 33rd overall in 2022; Jonathan Mogbo, drafted 31st overall in 2024; and Ulrich Chomche, drafted 57th overall in 2024
Honorable Mentions
Alijah Martin, drafted 39th overall in 2025
Career stats: 2.2 PTS, 0.9 REB, 0.5 AST, 0.3 STL, 0.2 BLK on 32.0/19.0/86.4 shooting splits
Not eye-popping stats for Martin, but he was always tenacious on both ends when he played and showed glimpses of real shot-making and leadership with the Raptors 905.
Gradey Dick, drafted 13th overall in 2023
Career stats: 9.2 PTS, 2.5 REB, 1.1 AST, 0.7 STL, 0.1 BLK on 41.7/34.3/86.4 shooting splits
Okay, you can argue that he shouldn’t even be an honourable mention, and maybe it’s wishful thinking, but I think there’s still a chance for Dick to turn things around. Right now he’s a disappointing lottery pick, but all it takes is an uptick in his three-point shooting for him to get a longer leash.
The Top 10
10. Dalano Banton, drafted 46th overall in 2021
Career stats: 6.6 PTS, 2.2 REB, 2.0 AST, 0.5 STL, 0.4 BLK on 40.1/30.3/73.2 shooting splits
I really loved Banton, I thought he was the tall point guard of the future for the Raptors, and while that never came to fruition, he still earns the first spot in the Raptors’ top 10 draft selections over the past 10 years. You can argue either of the honourable mentions over Banton, but he’s shown glimpses of being a solid player in his NBA career, which is rare for a 46th overall selection.
9. Delon Wright, drafted 20th overall in 2015
Career stats: 6.7 PTS, 3.0 REB, 3.0 AST, 1.2 STL, 0.3 BLK on 40.1/30.3/73.2 shooting splits
Solid career backup point guard and a beloved member of the Raptors’ ‘bench mob’. Wright’s been one of those players that’s good enough to trade for, yet not so good that you keep him around. He’s been on nine different teams since he was included in the 2019 trade for Marc Gasol. Not too shabby of a career for a 20th overall pick.
8. Jakob Poeltl, drafted 9th overall in 2016
Career stats: 9.1 PTS, 7.0 REB, 1.8 AST, 0.7 STL, 1.2 BLK on 63.6/42.9/55.9 shooting splits
Another current Raptor coming off the worst season of their career. Poeltl dealt with back issues that had him in and out of the lineup all season. Also a member of the ‘bench mob’, Poeltl was a key contributor to the Raptors as they grew into a playoff contender until he was traded to the San Antonio Spurs in a package for Kawhi Leonard. If we were to include the pick that Toronto traded to bring him back in 2022, his ranking would likely fall.
Honestly, he’s still been above average for a 9th overall selection, and I think he’ll be better next season, the Raptors desparately need him to.
7. Jamal Shead, drafted 45th overall in 2024
Career stats: 6.9 PTS, 1.6 REB, 4.8 AST, 0.9 STL, 0.2 BLK on 38.6/32.2/77.8 shooting splits
Efficiency aside, Shead has been a fantastic back up point guard for the Raptors. He’s always two steps ahead of the defense, and made some huge plays for the Raptors in the playoffs. He’s grown into a strong perimeter defender and his quick burst makes him a blow-by threat on offense. If he can just find a way to score off those blow-bys his game will open right up. Excellent value for the 45th pick.
6. Ja’Kobe Walter, drafted 19th overall in 2024
Career stats: 8.0 PTS, 2.8 REB, 1.3 AST, 0.9 STL, 0.2 BLK on 42.5/38.5/79.2 shooting splits
Really came into his own towards the end of the season, the difference between when he’s confident in his jump shot vs. when he isn’t is really quite something to watch but he’s like a whole different player. At times he’s shown flashes of off the dribble playmaking and he’s an extremely solid defender. If he can back that up with further improvement next season, he is firmly in the running for the future starting shooting guard spot which is great value for a 19th overall selection.
5. Collin Murray-Boyles, drafted 9th overall in 2025
Career stats: 8.5 PTS, 5.0 REB, 1.9 AST, 0.9 STL, 0.9 BLK on 57.9/34.0/65.7 shooting splits
In just one season Murray-Boyles is already out-playing his ninth overall selection. While he somehow was the last selection to the All-Rookie teams, I think there are at most four players from the 2025 draft that I would take over Murray-Boyles. He and Scottie Barnes are an absolutely destructive defensive duo that I’m thrilled we get to watch for the next however many years. Given he wasn’t a consensus pick at his slot, and on paper didn’t exactly fit what the Raptors needed, they really knocked it out of the park. He has the potential to move higher up this list over the next few years.
4. Norman Powell, drafted 46th overall in 2015
Career stats: 14.0 PTS, 2.7 REB, 1.6 AST, 0.8 STL, 0.3 BLK on 47.1/39.6/82.4 shooting splits
Remember how earlier I said it’s rare for a 46th overall selection to show glimpses of being an NBA player? Well, enter Stormin’ Norman. What he’s done in his career as a 46th overall selection is outstanding. This past season Powell made his first All-Star appearance with the Miami Heat while averaging over 21 points a night. Before his trade to the Portland Trailblazers for Gary Trent Jr., Powell was just coming into his own after being a spark plug with the aforementioned ‘bench mob’. He had playoff moments with the team, most notably a superman dunk to tie the game against the Indiana Pacers in 2016, but he also averaged 12.3 points against the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2019 Eastern Conference Finals. Again, the fact that the Raptors got him and Anunoby for Greivis Vasquez is just absurd.
Perhaps he can become the next ex-Raptor to make a playoff push now that the Heat have acquired Giannis Antetokounmpo?
3. OG Anunoby, drafted 23rd overall in 2017
Career stats: 13.3 PTS, 4.5 REB, 1.7 AST, 1.3 STL, 0.6 BLK on 47.6/37.7/77.4 shooting splits
2-time NBA champion OG Anunoby had a really interesting start to his NBA career. He was thrust into the starting lineup almost immediately in his rookie season, but quickly slid back to the bench after the team acquired Leonard. When Leonard left, he took his starting spot back and started to grow into the guy that was possibly the second best player on the champion New York Knicks.
For the Raptors the Vasquez trade has been the gift that keeps on giving, from Powell and Anunoby, to now Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett, it’s been one heck of a trade return.
2. Scottie Barnes, drafted 4th overall in 2021
Career stats: 17.4 PTS, 7.5 REB, 5.2 AST, 1.3 STL, 1.1 BLK on 47.5/30.1/77.3 shooting splits
What is there to say about Barnes that hasn’t already been said? Truthfully, I think one day he’ll be number one on this list which is significant given the fact that he was drafted in the top 5. What I think makes the pick noteworthy is that Jalen Suggs was the consensus pick at 4th overall and yet the Raptors took Barnes anyways. In the playoffs this past season Barnes was simply incredible, it’s extremely rare to have a franchise player that is both the level of defender Barnes is and can catalyze the offense like he did against the Cavaliers. I just hope he realizes that we expect that level of offensive production all the time from here on out.
1. Pascal Siakam, drafted 27th overall in 2016
Career stats: 18.5 PTS, 6.6 REB, 3.6 AST, 0.9 STL, 0.6 BLK on 49.7/34.2/75.4 shooting splits
No doubt about this one. Siakam is one of the best players in Raptors franchise history and he was the 27th overall pick. It’s not even like he fell in the draft either, he was an extremely raw prospect when the Raptors drafted him. The fact that he became as good as he has is truly a testament to his hard work because boy was he all over the place his first couple of seasons. In his rookie season he averaged 4.2 points a game, but by just his third season he won Most Improved Player averaging nearly 17 points a game. By year four he made his first All-Star appearance, made All-NBA second team, and finished 10th in MVP voting. Fast forward to present day and he’s racked up three more All-Star appearances, an NBA third team appearance, and he won Eastern Conference Finals MVP in 2024 with the Indiana Pacers. By far the best Raptors draft pick not just in the last ten years, but of all time.
