We crunched every number from every era to answer one question:
Who’s the true Greatest Raptor of All Time?
🥇 The Final 5: Raptors GOAT Leaderboard
Player | Seasons (TOR) | All-Stars | Titles | Total WS | VORP | Playoff Wins | Net Rating | RAPTOR WAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Kyle Lowry | 9 (2012–21) | 6 | ✅1 | ✅74.3 | ✅32.0 | ✅48 | ✅+4.7 | ✅+82.4 |
DeMar DeRozan | 9 (2009–18) | 4 | ❌0 | 61.2 | 16.2 | 21 | -2.1 | +42.3 |
Vince Carter | 6 (1998–2004) | 5 | ❌0 | 41.8 | 19.5 | 10 | +1.1 | +38.7 |
Chris Bosh | 7 (2003–10) | 5 | ❌0 | 53.7 | 20.1 | 3 | -0.8 | +34.5 |
Kawhi Leonard | 1 (2018–19) | 1 | ✅1 | 9.3 | 3.7 | 16 | ✅+9.4 | +17.8 |
RAPTOR WAR (FiveThirtyEight metric): Estimates total wins above replacement based on box score, on/off impact, and opponent quality.
🔍 Why Kyle Lowry Is the GROAT (Greatest Raptor of All Time)
Leads franchise in:
➤ Win Shares, VORP, Assists, Steals, 3PM, All-Star selections, Playoff winsAdvanced Analytics Favorite:
➤ WS/48: .170, BPM: +4.4, Playoff Net Rating: +6.3Team Impact:
➤ Raptors winning % with Lowry: .613, without: .388
➤ Peak impact: 2015–2020 = Franchise’s best sustained stretch in historyBusiness Impact:
➤ Merchandise revenue doubled post-2016
➤ Game attendance grew 22% during his peak years
➤ Global brand recognition expanded with “We The North” powered by Lowry + 2019 ring
🧠 Advanced Metrics Breakdown
Player | WS/48 | BPM | VORP | RAPTOR WAR | TS% | Playoff PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lowry | .170 | +4.4 | ✅32.0 | ✅82.4 | .567 | 14.6 |
DeRozan | .111 | +0.3 | 16.2 | 42.3 | .529 | 21.5 |
Vince Carter | .145 | +2.7 | 19.5 | 38.7 | .547 | 25.7 |
Bosh | .145 | +2.8 | 20.1 | 34.5 | .561 | 19.0 |
Kawhi | .213 | +8.7 | 3.7 | 17.8 | .620 | ✅30.5 |
🧠 Takeaway: Lowry’s blend of efficiency, longevity, and leadership outpaces everyone. Kawhi was dominant, but for one season. Vince and Bosh were stars — but Lowry turned the Raptors into a culture and a champion.
🏆 The Championship Weight
Only 2 Raptors have Finals MVPs: Kawhi Leonard ✅
Only 1 Raptor led the team in every major advanced metric during a Finals run: Kyle Lowry ✅
Only 1 Raptor got a statue proposed and a jersey retired while still playing elsewhere: Kyle Lowry ✅
"He’s the greatest Raptor of all time. I don’t care what anybody says." – Masai Ujiri
📈 Business Analytics: The Lowry Era Effect
Year | Avg Attendance | Revenue ($M) | TV Ratings (Canada) |
|---|---|---|---|
2011 | 15,257 | $124M | 0.8 avg share |
2019 | 19,648 | $216M | 2.9 avg share |
🏀 Net Impact: Lowry-era Raptors turned into a global team, not just a Canadian side note.
🔚 The Blunt Insight
Kyle Lowry isn’t the flashiest. He’s the fiercest. And he’s the finest Raptor ever — by every meaningful metric.
DeRozan had the loyalty.
Vince had the legend.
Kawhi had the moment.
But Lowry had the era — and he owned it, stat by stat, year after year.
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