Creation of the Franchise

The Toronto Raptors were established in 1993, after the NBA decided to expand its operations into Canada. The franchise was given to a group run by businessman John Bitove for, at the time, a record setting amount of $125 million USD. The Raptors officially joined the NBA during the 1995-1996 season, along with the second Canadian expansion team, the Vancouver Grizzlies. This marked a huge achievement for the NBA since these were the first professional basketball teams in Canada to play professionally since the Toronto Huskies of the Basketball Association of America last played in 1947.

Initially, people were in favour of restoring the Huskies as the team name, however management felt that it would prove very difficult to design a logo for the team that didn't closely resemble the logo for the Minnesota Timberwolves. In 1994, fans were approached to present their inclination for the group's new name, which brought about a last rundown of 10 alternatives: Beavers, Bobcats, Dragons, Grizzlies, Hogs, Scorpions, T-Rex, Tarantulas, Terriers and Raptors. On May 15, the group's new moniker, the Toronto Raptors, was announced on Canadian national TV and the related logo was uncovered a couple of days after the fact. The moniker was likely impacted by the fame of the Steven Spielberg film Jurassic Park, and the logo included a forceful dinosaur spilling a b-ball. The group hues were to be splendid red, purple, dark, and "Naismith silver" to pay tribute to Canadian James Naismith, who developed the sport of ball in 1891.

The group initially contended in the Central Division, and before the debut season started, the sales of Raptors' merchandise reached seventh in the association, showing an effective return of professional basketball to Canada.

As General Manager, Isiah Thomas immediately staffed the administration positions with his very own work force, naming long-term Detroit Pistons right hand Brendan Malone as the Raptors' head coach. The group's list was then filled because of an expansion draft in 1995. Following a coin flip, Toronto was given first decision and chose Chicago Bulls point gatekeeper and three-point shooter B. J. Armstrong. Armstrong wouldn't report for training, and Thomas immediately exchanged him to the Golden State Warriors for power forwards Carlos Rogers and Victor Alexander. Thomas at that point chose a wide scope of players in the extension draft, including veterans Jerome Kersey, Willie Anderson and his previous Pistons colleague John Salley. Subsequent to the expansion draft, the Raptors received the seventh pick in the NBA draft lottery, behind their individual 1995 development club, the Vancouver Grizzlies. Thomas chose Damon Stoudamire, a point monitor out of Arizona, around whom the establishment would try to build its not so distant future. Be that as it may, the selection of Stoudamire was met with boos from fans at the 1995 NBA draft at the SkyDome in Toronto.