When did you first become a Raptor fan?

[G__Deane]

Casual NBA fans for years, with the Raps from the day they announced they awarded us a team ($125M franchise(?) fee was a deal in retrospect) and they proceeded to job us and Bitove in the draft.

[007]

I first started watching the NBA around 2011...my first major memory of the league was the 2011 Finals, which is why I'll always love Dirk. I didn't have a preferred team for a bit, almost became a Portland fan as that's the team my dad supports, but eventually chose the Raptors.

The first Raptors season I remember is 2012-13, and Amir Johnson was my favourite player. I was definitely a casual fan at the time hahaha. After Rudy Gay was traded and the whole We The North era kicked off, that was when I fell into being a die-hard fan. Coincidentally, that's the same time I found this board.

I'm glad I didn't become a Portland fan lol

[golden]

Half Man / Half Amazing

I'd seen games before that... but after his arrival, I haven't missed many.

Chris Mullin subbed himself out and retired, immediately after that play. Lol.

[Tmac2darak]

Always an NBA fan b4 that especially the knicks.
But became a Raptor fan from the get go. Name contest, draft - Fans booing we didnt draft Ed O'Bannon over Damon S etc

[bertarapsfan]

This will be fun to retrace everyone raptors fandom

First started casually watching when the roster was made up of the likes of Alvin williams, Carter, Davis, JYD. (maybe 2001-2002)
Junkyard dog was always my favorite player back then even tho he was far the most hyped talked about i loved his hustle, heart do it all play. Influenced the type of basketball player that would forever be my favorite.

Vince departure really hurt, i was at the age where that betrayal really hurt. I really went all in with the Bosh era when i would say i became an avid watcher probably watched over 50 games a season. Would live and die with those late season games trying to make the playoffs. Also around this time i starting to really love those maverick teams specifically Dirk.

The addition of the Colangelo brought hope and i really thought we got one of the greatest G.M in the league (those suns teams were great). Little by little i watched B.C sell away the teams future for a shot at a low playoff seed. This really hurt my fandom went back to being casual viewer during those Bargnani days. And was an admitted mavs fan on the side mainly for Dirk. Watching him win the title in 2011 was amazing

Then when we got rudy i came all the way back in. The experiment didnt work but i was all the way back when we traded him to sacremento for a bunch of role players. That year was the start of something special i didn't know it yet but i was in the process of watching a slow 6 year build until eventually triumphing with a title. Im so glad i got back in when i did. I would have to guess i watch 90% of all games starting with the year we first made the playoffs and faced the nets.

[GOLDBLUM]

Half Man / Half Amazing

I'd seen games before that... but after his arrival, I haven't missed many.

[HogieTime]

Looking at the Raptors past rosters I can see it was the 2004-2005 season when I started to avidly watch them because that's when we got satellite tv. I remember Rafael Araujo #55, god that guy was awful. Raptors could of drafted Iggy instead of him. My dad must of regretted getting satellite because I watched every game, luckily he'd usually just fall asleep on the lazyboy after dinner at night anyways lol.

[HogieTime]

When did you guys first become an avid Raptors fan? I did in the early Chris Bosh era. I'm not sure what year exactly it was when I really started to watch them because I didn't have satellite tv at first so I could only see the rare game on global, or cbc. Whatever was on the good old bunny ears ( which wasn't many lol). I had a PlayStation 2 with basketball games so I knew all the players in the league but couldn't watch many games. I remember when Mike James was our starting point guard in 2005, man there were some rough years back then. Back then I just hoped for the chance to make the playoffs, even if they got swept.