The 1995–96 Toronto Raptors season was the inaugural season for the Toronto Raptors in the National Basketball Association. The Raptors, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, became expansion teams in the NBA during the 1995–96 season, and were the first teams in the league (or its predecessor the Basketball Association of America), to play in Canada since the 1946–47 Toronto Huskies.
Season summary
Off-season The Raptors revealed their new primary logo, adding purple, red, black, white and silver to their color scheme; the team's primary logo featured a red dinosaur with silver eyes in a white uniform with a purple letter "R" on its jersey, dribbling a silver basketball in front of a black and purple circle featuring the city and team name in silver letters. The team also revealed new white home uniforms, and new purple road uniforms, which featured black and silver zig-zag pinstripes, the team's primary logo of a red dinosaur on the front of their jerseys, and a zig-zag shaped black side panel with a red outline on the left leg of their shorts. The home uniforms featured a purple, red and black trim, while the road uniforms featured a black and red trim.
The Raptors' new primary logo would remain in use until 2008, where the team changed the background of the circle from purple to red, while the original logo with the dinosaur would last until 2015; the new pinstriped uniforms would remain in use until 1999. Retired All-Star point guard, and former Detroit Pistons legend Isiah Thomas became the team's General Manager. The Raptors played their home games at the SkyDome in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, which was also home to the MLB's Toronto Blue Jays.
In the 1995 NBA expansion draft, the Raptors selected veteran players like B.J. Armstrong, Oliver Miller, Willie Anderson, Tony Massenburg, Ed Pinckney, Žan Tabak, Acie Earl and John Salley. However, Armstrong refused to play for the Raptors, and was traded to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for second-year forward Carlos Rogers and Victor Alexander. The team also signed free agents, former All-Star guard Alvin Robertson, and three-point specialist Tracy Murray.
The Raptors received the seventh overall pick in the 1995 NBA draft, and selected point guard Damon Stoudamire from the University of Arizona, and also hired Brendan Malone as their first ever head coach.
Regular season The Raptors made their NBA regular season debut on November 3, 1995, in which the team defeated the New Jersey Nets at the SkyDome by a score of 94–79; Robertson led the Raptors with 30 points, 7 rebounds and 5 steals. However, the team posted a seven-game losing streak afterwards, and later on held a 13–34 record at the All-Star break. At mid-season, the Raptors traded Anderson, and Alexander to the New York Knicks in exchange for Doug Christie, and then traded Massenburg, and Pinckney to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for second-year forward Sharone Wright. Meanwhile, Salley was released to free agency, and later on signed with the Chicago Bulls. The team posted another seven-game losing streak in February, and lost 12 of their final 15 games of the season. The Raptors finished their inaugural season in last place in the Central Division with a record of 21 wins and 61 losses.
Stoudamire averaged 19.0 points, 9.3 assists and 1.4 steals per game, contributed 133 three-point field goals, and was named the NBA Rookie of the Year, and was also named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team. In addition, Wright averaged 16.5 points and 5.2 rebounds per game in eleven games after the trade, while Murray contributed 16.2 points per game, and led the Raptors with 151 three-point field goals, Miller provided the team with 12.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.9 blocks per game, Christie contributed 10.1 points and 1.8 steals per game in 32 games, and Robertson averaged 9.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 2.2 steals per game. Off the bench, Tabak averaged 7.7 points and 4.8 rebounds per game, while Rogers provided with 7.7 points and 3.0 rebounds per game, and Earl contributed 7.5 points and 3.1 rebounds per game.
During the NBA All-Star weekend at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, Stoudamire was selected for the NBA Rookie Game, as a member of the Eastern Conference Rookie team. Stoudamire scored 19 points along with 11 assists and 4 steals, and was named the Rookie Game's Most Valuable Player, as the Eastern Conference defeated the Western Conference, 94–92. Meanwhile, before the mid-season trade, Christie participated in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest while playing for the Knicks. Murray finished tied in fifth place in Most Improved Player voting.
The Raptors finished third in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 950,330 at the SkyDome during the regular season.
Notable highlights One notable highlight of the inaugural season occurred on March 24, 1996, in which the Raptors defeated the Bulls at the SkyDome by a score of 109–108, in front of 36,131 fans in attendance. Three players posted double-doubles, as Stoudamire finished with 30 points and 11 assists, and also made 6 out of 8 three-point field-goal attempts, while Murray added 23 points and 12 rebounds, and Miller contributed 14 points and 12 rebounds. All-Star guard Michael Jordan led the Bulls with 36 points; the Bulls went on to finish with a league-best 72–10 record.
Aftermath Following the season, Malone was fired as head coach after only one season with the Raptors, while Murray signed as a free agent with the Washington Bullets, Miller signed with the Dallas Mavericks, and Robertson retired after ten seasons in the NBA.
Offseason
Expansion draft The team's roster was then filled as a result of an expansion draft in 1995. Following a coin flip, Toronto was given first choice and selected Chicago Bulls point guard and three-point specialist B. J. Armstrong. Armstrong refused to report for training, and Thomas promptly traded him to the Golden State Warriors for power forwards Carlos Rogers and Victor Alexander. Thomas then selected a wide range of players in the expansion draft.
Pick Player Position Nationality Former Team1B. J. ArmstrongPoint guard Chicago Bulls3Tony MassenburgForward Los Angeles Clippers5Andrés GuibertForward-Centre Minnesota Timberwolves7Keith JenningsPoint guard Golden State Warriors9Dontonio WingfieldForward Seattle SuperSonics11Doug SmithForward Dallas Mavericks13Jerome KerseySmall forward Portland Trail Blazers15Žan TabakCentreHouston Rockets17Willie AndersonGuard-Forward San Antonio Spurs19Ed PinckneyForward Milwaukee Bucks21Acie EarlCentre Boston Celtics23B. J. TylerPoint guard Philadelphia 76ers25John SalleyPower forward Miami Heat27Oliver MillerCentre Detroit Pistons
NBA draft
Subsequent to the expansion draft, the Raptors were given the seventh overall pick, after the Vancouver Grizzlies, in the 1995 NBA draft. They selected Damon Stoudamire, a point guard from the University of Arizona, around whom Thomas chose to base the franchise. The selection of Stoudamire was met with boos from fans at the 1995 NBA draft at the SkyDome in Toronto, Ontario, many of whom wanted 1995 NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player, Ed O'Bannon from the University of California, Los Angeles, who was taken with the ninth overall pick by the New Jersey Nets (and, unlike Stoudamire, would not have success and be out of the league after two seasons), The Raptors' second selection with the 35th overall pick was shooting guard Jimmy King from the University of Michigan, a senior and part of the recruiting class of 1991 that became known as The Fab Five.
Round Pick Player Position Nationality College 1 7 Damon Stoudamire Point Guard Arizona 2 35 Jimmy King Shooting Guard Michigan
Roster
Roster notes Point guard Keith Jennings was on the injured reserve list due to a preseason knee injury, and missed the entire regular season. Point guard B.J. Tyler was on the injured reserve list due to permanent nerve damage, after accidentally falling asleep with an ice pack on his ankle, missed the entire regular season, and never played for the Raptors.
The first game The Raptors' first ever regular season game was played on November 3, 1995, against the New Jersey Nets at the SkyDome in front of 33,306 fans. Alvin Robertson scored the first points in Raptors history, as he hit a three pointer to give Toronto an early 3–0 lead. The Raptors were led by Robertson, who scored a team high 30 points, as well as Damon Stoudamire, who had a double double in his first career game, scoring 10 points and adding 10 assists, as the Raptors defeated the Nets 94–79.New Jersey Nets at Toronto Raptors, basketball-reference.com, 3 November 1995, accessed 20 August 2015.
Regular season
The team played its first season in the Central Division,1995-96 Standings , nba.com/history, accessed 16 June 2007. and before the inaugural season began, sales of Raptors merchandise ranked seventh in the league, marking a successful return of basketball to Canada. As GM, Isiah Thomas quickly staffed the management positions with his own personnel, naming long-time Detroit Pistons assistant Brendan Malone as the Raptors' head coach.
The Raptors concluded their inaugural season with a 21–61 win–loss record, although they were one of the nine teams to defeat the 1995–96 Chicago Bulls,Chicago Bulls at Toronto Raptors, basketball-reference.com, 24 March 1996, accessed 16 June 2007. who set an NBA best 72–10 win–loss regular season record. With averages of 19.0 points and 9.3 assists per game, Stoudamire also won the 1995–96 Rookie of the Year Award.Damon Stoudamire Info Page , nba.com, accessed 16 June 2007.
Highs December 10, 1995, The Raptors play the Vancouver Grizzlies for the first time. The game is held at General Motors Place in Vancouver. The Raptors win the game by a score of 93–81. March 24, 1996 – The Raptors beat the eventual NBA Champion Chicago Bulls by a score of 109–108, one of only ten losses the Bulls would suffer that season. Michael Jordan attempted to win the game on the final shot. Though the ball went in, it did not count because the ball left his hand after the final buzzer. March 31, 1996 – The legendary Magic Johnson played his only game against the Toronto Raptors in Toronto. The Los Angeles Lakers won the game by a score of 111–106.
Stoudamire's breakout year Stoudamire had a noteworthy rookie season with the Toronto Raptors averaging 9.3 assists and 19 points. He earned the nickname "Mighty Mouse" due to the fact he stands only 5'10" (1.77 m), and that he had a Mighty Mouse tattoo on his right arm going into his rookie season. Damon currently holds the record of having the third-highest assist average ever by a rookie, and rookie record setter for 3-pointers with 133, breaking the 3-point record previously held by Dennis Scott. Stoudamire was ranked second in scoring among all rookies in his rookie season, and led all rookies in minutes played and assists. He received the Shick Rookie of the Month Award twice and unanimously made the Shick All Rookie First Team. That same year Stoudamire was also awarded the Rookie of the Year Award for the 1995–1996 season, receiving 76 of the 113 possible votes and the Most Valuable Player of the All-Star Rookie Game. Stoudamire holds the record for being the second-lowest draft pick (seventh overall) to ever win the Rookie of the Year Award, the lowest being Mark Jackson (eighteenth overall). Damon is also known as the shortest player at 5'10" to ever win this award. He did not play the last 10 games of his rookie season due to an injury, Tendinitis in his left knee. The Raptors went 2–8 without him and finished 21–61 in his and the Raptors' rookie season.
Lows November 15, 1995 – The Raptors lose to the Houston Rockets by a score of 96 – 93. The loss culminates in a seven-game losing streak for the Raptors, the longest losing streak of the season.