The Toronto Raptors will pick 13th overall in tonight’s NBA draft, barring any last-minute trades, and history tells us that the players selected in that spot range from all-time greats to names you’ve probably never heard.

Aside from the 2021 NBA draft when Toronto snagged Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes with the fourth overall pick, this is the highest the Raptors are drafting since 2016, when they selected recently reacquired centre Jakob Poeltl with the ninth overall pick.

The last and only time the franchise had the 13th overall pick was in 2010, when they selected Ed Davis out of the University of North Carolina. He lasted less than three seasons in Toronto, averaging 7.7 points and 6.8 rebounds per game.

The Raptors will be hoping for better luck this year.

Here’s a look at some of the notable – and not so notable – players selected at number 13, and who the Raptors could target in the 2023 NBA draft.

Stars, busts, everything in between

For Raptors fans, the good news is that the 13th overall pick has produced some of the best players in the game today, and two of the greatest in the history of the NBA.

Karl Malone and Kobe Bryant, who sit third and fourth on the NBA’s all time leading regular season scorers list, were each picked at number 13.

All-NBA guards Devin Booker and Donovan Mitchell, two of the best players in the league today, were also selected 13th overall.

As was two-time all-star Zach Lavine and Sixth Man of the Year Tyler Herro.

Richard Jefferson and Corey Maggette, two high-flying wings that were 20-point-per-game scorers in the mid-2000s, were also 13th overall picks.

In the last 10 years, two Canadians have been selected 13th overall; Toronto-born Kelly Olynyk in 2013, and Chris Duarte in 2021.

Though Toronto has only had the 13th overall selection once before, a few notable Raptors were selected in that spot by other teams.

Fan-favourites Tyler Hansbrough, Jalen Rose and Keon Clark were all 13th picks.

The bad news for Raptors fans is that the 13th pick also produced a good number of busts, many of whom you’ve likely never heard of.

Courtney Alexander was selected at 13th in the 2000 NBA draft and was out of the league by 2003.

Other not-so-notable 13th overall picks include Brandon Rush, Julian Wright, Sean May, Marcus Banks, Marcus Haislip, Derek Anderson, and, unfortunately, many others.

Should the Raptors move up in the draft? 

Of course, the Raptors could decide to trade their pick, either for a different pick, a player, or a mix of both.

There hasn’t been a lot of speculation about Toronto looking to trade their pick for an active player, but the front office says they are considering their options when it comes to moving up in the draft.

“Quite a bit,” assistant general manager and VP of player personnel Dan Tolzman said when asked how much consideration there is to move up.

“Our whole operation around the draft is to try to know at least all the ranges of picks just in case something comes across the table that's too good to pass up on.”

Tolzman told reporters on Tuesday that the team is looking for someone that can help the Raptors long term, which could even involve moving down in the draft order if the right opportunity comes along.

“As we get to know our pick at 13, we're also really taking a close look at the players up in the top five, top 10, whatever, just in case. And then same with move back opportunities too,” he said.

“How realistic it is that we could move up? I don't know. But at the same time, we (want) to be prepared for it if it does (happen).”

In tonight’s draft, French phenom Victor Wembanyama is all but guaranteed to go first overall to the San Antonio Spurs, however picks two and three are still up in the air.

The Charlotte Hornets, who own the second overall selection, are reportedly still deciding between Brandon Miller, a versatile wing scorer, and Scoot Henderson, an explosive point guard who many believe would go first overall in most other drafts.

Various reports have linked the Raptors to Henderson, who Toronto could pair with Barnes to form a young dynamic duo.

If Henderson were to fall to the Portland Trail Blazers at number 3, the Raptors could theoretically convince the Blazers – who already have all-star point guard Damian Lillard – to give up the third overall pick, as Portland may be looking to upgrade with veterans in order to win now.

Heading into the draft, fans and pundits alike can only speculate about what Toronto’s front office will ultimately do, but if previous drafts are any indication, you should expect the unexpected on draft night.

Who should the Raptors pick in the draft? 

Still, the most likely scenario is that Toronto holds on to their pick, and with it, they’ll have a number of intriguing options.

The Raptors have been sorely lacking guard depth over the last few seasons, and with Fred VanVleet potentially heading elsewhere in free agency, the Raptors could target a big, versatile guard like Jalen Hood-Schifino out of Indiana University.

A six-foot-four point guard, Hood-Schifino has shown promise as a playmaker and scorer with good instincts as an on-ball defender.

Baylor University’s Keyonte George is another guard the Raptors could target. In his one year at college he averaged 15.3 points per game and projects as a knockdown shooter in the NBA.

Speaking of shooting, Gradey Dick, widely considered the best shooter in the draft, could be available to the Raptors at number 13. The six-foot-six wing out of Kansas hit an impressive 40.3 per cent of his three point attempts last year.

In the past, the Raptors have shown a willingness to draft younger, less polished players who need development before reaching their full potential. In this draft, that player might be Bilal Coulibaly.

Coulibaly is an 18-year-old Frenchman who was a teammates with Wembanyama this past year. He’s six-foot-seven with a massive seven-foot-two wingspan, and has shown flashes of two-way brilliance.

He’s quite raw when it comes to shooting and ball-handling, but has shown the ability to improve year-over-year, and his physical gifts are undeniable.

Raptors president Masai Ujiri brought in new head coach Darko Rajakovic in part because of his long track record of player development, which Ujiri has always valued. The team is sure to keep that in mind when making their selection tonight.

“We like where we're at, at 13,” Tolzman said.

“It's a fairly deep draft, we feel like, and we're pretty happy with where we're sitting right now.”

You can watch the 2023 NBA draft live from New York tonight at 8 p.m. on TSN. 

With files from the Canadian Press.