- Blunt Insights
- Posts
- Who’s the Greatest Toronto Raptor of All Time?
Who’s the Greatest Toronto Raptor of All Time?
Forget vibes. This is not about who had the flashiest dunks, the longest loyalty, or the most viral moments. This is the data-certified, analytics-approved, legacy-ranking edition of Blunt Insights.
Samuel Rogers
September 05, 2025
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.
📬 Want More Data That Hits Different?
Blunt Insights gives you no-fluff, all-facts rundowns on sports, business, and culture — straight to your inbox.
📈 Subscribe for weekly breakdowns that blend strategy with stats.