Toronto Raptors

Canada's team and the bounce that won it all

Founded in 1995, the Raptors first caught the world's eye through Vince Carter, the most electric dunker of his time, who made basketball matter in Canada.

The DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry years built a perennial contender that kept running into LeBron. Then a single bold trade for Kawhi Leonard changed everything.

In 2019 Kawhi's series-winning shot against the 76ers bounced on the rim four times before falling, and the Raptors went on to beat the Warriors for the title, the first ever won outside the United States.

The title did not come from nowhere: the 2016 team had already reached the conference finals, proof the foundation was real before Kawhi arrived.