Over the last 15-20 years European players coming to the NBA has been a common practice. In the existence of the Toronto Raptors we too have seen a fair share of players come from across the Atlantic. While today the only Raptors player in the upcoming Euro Basketball tournament is Lithuanian Jonas Valanciunas Toronto has seen many come in and out. This is a look at some of the most prominent to play in a Raptors jersey.
Jose Calderon (Spain, PG, 2005-2013)
Jose Calderon is the longest serving Raptor of all time – he has played more games for Toronto than anybody else. He was part of the 2007 division championship team and made the playoffs twice, in 2007 and 2008. His time ended when he was traded to the Detroit Pistons, he has since played for Dallas and is currently with the Raptors division rivals the New York Knicks. He would go down as one of the best Europeans to play for the Raptors. Statistics would be one thing many Calderon fans point to, there were multiple times during his tenure that Calderon led the league in assist-to-turnover ratio, he always ranked highly in assists per game at times averaging numbers like 8.9, he holds the all time record for highest free throw percentage per season which he achieved in 2008/09, he went on a streak of 87 made free throws in a row at one point and he has the equal franchise record for most assists (19) in a single game. There were some games when Calderon was just unstoppable, vs the Lakers in 2012 he scored 30 points and a home game vs Chicago when he pledged to give $1,000 to charity for every assist he recorded and ended with 14. Finally his highlights reel was and still can be fun to watch, he scored a hail mary from half way, made impossible passes and hit long range three pointers. Criticism came on his defensive abilities and being unable to play a more up-tempo game. All in all though Calderon was a great Raptor and one of the best to come out of Europe.
Hedo Turkoglu (Turkey, SF, 2009-2010)
Hedo Turkoglo is virtually a juxtaposition to Jose Caldeon. He came to Toronto from the Orlando Magic who had just won the Eastern Conference and been to the NBA finals. As a free-agent Turkoglu had a number of possible destinations but chose Toronto for less money due to it having a higher Turkish population and he felt he would fit in. For a sports person though the best way to fit in is to perform on the court, instead Turkoglu will be known as one of the most disappointing Raptors of all time and possibly the worst European to play for this franchise. There were times when he did play well, a game against the Lakers where he scored the pivotal go ahead points (from the free throw line) before Kobe Bryant missed a buzzer beater. Turkoglu averaged a healthy 4.1 assists per game, however he was part of a team that somehow dropped out of the play-off race post all-star break and ended up missing out by a single game. In that same season Turkoglu missed an important game after complaining of a stomach bug but was later spotted out late at a night club. However it gets worse, not only did this come at a time when the Raptors were in one of the tightest playoffs race ever witnessed (with Chicago and Charlotte) but Turkoglu actually blamed the fans and management for his benching and punishment, going on Turkish TV and saying he wanted to leave Toronto. He was traded to Phoenix and has had little impact in the NBA since, he was last seen bench warming for the LA Clippers. I don’t mind what players do off the court as long as they play well on it but when you choose to sit out a huge game and then party after a loss during a critical time and still don’t get into the playoffs it really is not a good look. Turkoglu was one of the more interesting European Raptors and for all the wrong reasons.
Rasho Nesterovic (Slovenia, C, 2006-2008, returned 2009)
Nesterovic was an interesting under the radar player. He joined Toronto in 2006 after playing with Minnesota and San Antonio. Believe it or not he actually has an NBA ring, multiple playoff appearances and with the Raptors a division championship. Many would say he just happens to be in the right place at the right time, he would argue it is the right place because of him being there. Either way with Toronto he did some good things, he had his highest field goal percentage in 2007/08 and hit his first and possibly only three point shot in a late season buzzer beater vs Atlanta. The best thing with Nestorovic was he seemed to be an all business, solid player that would never star, never have a huge game but simply be a strong foundation piece to make any team just a little better. Often a team needs a player like that, a player who just goes about his business as Nestovic seemed to do. Credit to this is he played in the playoffs every year except the last 2 of his 12 year NBA career. He was traded to Indiana before coming back to Toronto a season later to end his NBA career. A franchise is never going to be built around a Nestorvic but things happen when he is there, for Toronto those things were a division championship and a playoff appearance, he was not a superstar but he was good and through some achievements his value can be seen.
Andrea Bargnani (Italy, C/PF, 2006-2013)
What can be said about Andrea Bagnani, the first European player be the number 1 pick of an NBA draft. In the 2006 draft Raptors General Manager (GM) Bryan Colangelo selected Andrea Bargnani a 7″0 20 year old out of Italy. The franchise was almost built around him, the key figure in what was meant to be a master piece, instead the Raptors got a centre that seemed to have no defence, poor rim protection, could hit three point shots but was hesitant to drive to the bucket and often found injury trouble. Bargnani was an unorthodox player that some might say set this team back a long way. He was traded in 2013 to the New York Knicks and will play the next season with Brooklyn. Bargnani features heavily in the Raptors history, he was a number 1 pick that so much was invested and Colangelo believed so heavily in before in truth letting many people down. that 2006 draft Toronto could have had LaMarcus Aldridge, Brandon Roy or Rudy Gay (who would find his way to the Raptors later anyway). Bargnani did win a division title in 2007 and made the playoffs the following year in 2008 but at times when watching the Raptors you’d see Bargnani and be like “oh yeah his still on the court”, or “wasn’t this guy a number 1 pick, shouldn’t he be carrying the team right now”. Many fans wish Bargnani made something more of his career but the hype was too much for what he was. No doubt he was and still is a decent player but to be the number 1 pick was a big mistake. For European players Bargnani has to feature however his success was no where near what it could have been.
Jonas Valanciunas (Lithunia, C, 2011-Current)
Drafted in 2011 but given a year for further development with his Lithuanian team Jonas Valanciunas is the Raptors only current European player. In a way similar to Bargnani; a lot is expected of him but this time he is part of a support cast rather than the guy. He has already gained success in Toronto with 2 division titles, and more is expected of him and the current team. If Jonas Valanciunas can develop into the player everyone wants him to be the Raptors will go far. Glimpses of his best are seen every now and then and Lithuania will be hopeful he can have a large impact during the Euro cup. In Toronto, Valanciunas has stayed out of injury trouble missing just 3 regular season games in the last 2 seasons. He received a big four year $64 million contract extension and in those 4 season Raptors fans will see just what he can do. For now though he has started well having some big games including 34 points vs Detroit in January 2015. For someone like Valanciunas the playoffs will likely dictate his success but for him at this upcoming Euro cup he has the chance to feature heavily before going back to the NBA and hopefully living up to the big contract at this stage rightfully given to him.
Here are some other European players of interest who came to Toronto (in no in particular order)
Linas Kleiza (Lithuania)- Kleiza was a part of the Raptors for 3 seasons and had an important role to play, especially being one of the older members of a the team, he scored important points at times but was simply a role player in most franchises.
Marco Bellinelli (Italy)- Bellinelli has been prominent in San Antonio after his Raptors departure. He’s played a small role but developed well, also winning the 3-point shootout in 2014.
Jorge Garbajosa (Spain)- Garbajosa was with the Toronto Raptors for two seasons, he featured heavily in the division championship and was named in the all-rookie team. Injuries derailed a prominent player and led to him playing just 7 games the following season before going back to Europe. The Raptors were his only NBA team.
Peja Stojakovic (Serbia)- A light hearted way to end this list, Stojakovic played two games with the Raptors missing 26 others due to a knee injury, he has travelled the NBA since being prominent in Sacramento from 1998-2006. Apparently he never unpacked his bags and stayed in a hotel room before being released later in the same season.