Toronto Raptors

The Toronto Raptors joined the NBA as an expansion franchise in 1995, becoming the first NBA team based in Canada since the 1946 Toronto Huskies. Vince Carter put the franchise on the map with his electrifying dunks and 2000 Slam Dunk Contest victory. Under Masai Ujiri's leadership, the Raptors built a perennial contender around DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry. The blockbuster trade for Kawhi Leonard in 2018 proved transformative — Leonard delivered a historic championship run in 2019, including "The Shot" against Philadelphia, making the Raptors the first team outside the United States to win the NBA title. The championship cemented basketball's place in Canadian sports culture and established the Raptors as a premier franchise.