Kawhi vs. Vince: Who’s the Bigger Raptors Legend?

[MEDIC]

VC & its not even close.

VC was a bigger star than Kawhi, was here much longer. He also influenced kids, fans & young players in a much bigger way. He also hosted allstar events in the city.

He simply has a much bigger connection to the city than Kawhi ever did.

I probably choose Kawhi over guys like Tmac & maybe Bosh.

VC, Derozan & Lowry are all bigger legends.

[Randle McMurphy]

It’s Vince Carter over the mercenary

[Clay Davis]

I'd say VC. But if Kawhi took an even 2 year contract after 2019 he'd be a bigger star than VC.

This is why I find his departure to have been such a low-rizz move with zero foresight. He'd have easily cleared 50 M in endorsements, jersey sales, and shoe sales over a multi-year span if he had just stayed in Toronto. His Boardman Gets Paid shirts were literally flying off the shelves. He would have been able to market himself by just being himself. Instead he chose to do things the wrong way. It's very sad. If he gets suspended, his legacy will just be completely in the dumps.

[ImmortalD24]

I'd say VC. But if Kawhi took an even 2 year contract he'd be a bigger star than VC.

This is why I find his departure to have been such a low-rizz move with zero foresight. He'd have easily cleared 50 M in endorsements, jersey sales, and shoe sales over a multi-year span if he had just stayed in Toronto. His Boardman Gets Paid shirts were literally flying off the shelves. He would have been able to market himself by just being himself. Instead he chose to do things the wrong way. It's very sad. If he gets suspended, his legacy will just be completely in the dumps.

My sentiments exactly. One and done season after a chip puts him in the mercenary category more than anything. Plus looking back this roster was incredibly deep and due to a string of timing etc pulled it off. Far from a one man show. Also Nick Nurse >>>> Sam Mitchell.



Since he didn’t run it back..

[ontnut]

Stop it. There's only right answer and it's not Kawhi.

[Basketball_Jones]

Carter. But I mean, Kawhi is the best player we’ve ever had for sure. Just felt like we could never lose with him. Vince had that aura for a while as well but overall I felt he was more vulnerable while Kawhi just felt invincible.

[SFour]

Kawhi passed on the opportunity to be a "true" legend....he just had to stay for a couple years and that probably would've been enough.

What he did in 1 year was still legendary though, it just wasn't sustained.

[WaltFrazier]

One came up short in playoffs, stopped trying, and forced his way out. The other came in trade, won a title, and went home after a year. I vote Kawhi because he was serious about winning when he was here.

[ImmortalD24]

Carter. But I mean, Kawhi is the best player we’ve ever had for sure. Just felt like we could never lose with him. Vince had that aura for a while as well but overall I felt he was more vulnerable while Kawhi just felt invincible.

Because Kawhi had a stacked roster and good coaching coming from Popovich and company to a primed Nick Nurse and Raptors squad. East was also more open that year since LeBron went West and also it helped that KD got hurt. Circumstances played a huge role. Since 2018 no team has won back to back and Kawhi ruined that opportunity.

Even though I'm far from a LeBron fan, he would've given Kawhi problems. I hope they match up this year.. even old Bron will give him work.

[MightyMouse10]

I watch the Raptors and basketball in general because of VC. I remember the ACC every time he came back, I was there. VC was a legend, community builder, developer of fans worldwide.

Nothing can compare to that championship run. I love Demar but it was also a treat to watch Kawhi show us what true dominance was even though he didnt play the full season.

Longer effect of greatness was Carter but nothing compares to peak Kawhi as a Raptor fan no matter how short it was.

[Basketball_Jones]

Carter. But I mean, Kawhi is the best player we’ve ever had for sure. Just felt like we could never lose with him. Vince had that aura for a while as well but overall I felt he was more vulnerable while Kawhi just felt invincible.

Because Kawhi had a stacked roster and good coaching coming from Popovich and company to a primed Nick Nurse and Raptors squad. East was also more open that year since LeBron went West and also it helped that KD got hurt. Circumstances played a huge role. Since 2018 no team has won back to back and Kawhi ruined that opportunity.

Even though I'm far from a LeBron fan, he would've given Kawhi problems. I hope they match up this year.. even old Bron will give him work.

True, but I’d say Philly and Milwaukee were pretty legit threats. Milwaukee in particular was one of the more statistically dominant regular season teams in a long time. But we did have good circumstances with the warriors who oddly had a pretty easy run to the finals even without KD. West had a down year I guess there was no one close to challenge them.

[TheGeneral99]

1. Lowry
2. Kawhi
3. Derozan
4. Vince

[Tor_Raps]

Always see how vince made us "relevant" to support arguments for him being some sort of raptors legend

Let me ask you, how "relevant" was this franchise the year after Vince left compared to the year after Kawhi left?

Kawhi is the answer.

Thats not really a good way to look at things. If anything, that shows how relevant Vince made the Raptors alone and how crappy the management was during his time. This is why Masai is held in such high regards.

[Morris_Shatford]

My ice cold take;

Vince did far more for Basketball in Canada while he was a Raptors;
Whereas Kawhi did more for the Raptors.

[Quattro]

Always see how vince made us "relevant" to support arguments for him being some sort of raptors legend

Let me ask you, how "relevant" was this franchise the year after Vince left compared to the year after Kawhi left?

Kawhi is the answer.

Thats not really a good way to look at things. If anything, that shows how relevant Vince made the Raptors alone and how crappy the management was during his time. This is why Masai is held in such high regards.

Blame management all you want. The fact is his teams won all of 1 playoff series while he was here and he left the team just as worse off as it was before he came.

Kawhi had a far greater impact on this franchise's "relevance" than Carter did.

[Tor_Raps]

Always see how vince made us "relevant" to support arguments for him being some sort of raptors legend

Let me ask you, how "relevant" was this franchise the year after Vince left compared to the year after Kawhi left?

Kawhi is the answer.

Thats not really a good way to look at things. If anything, that shows how relevant Vince made the Raptors alone and how crappy the management was during his time. This is why Masai is held in such high regards.

Blame management all you want. The fact is his teams won all of 1 playoff series while he was here and he left the team just as worse off as it was before he came.

Kawhi had a far greater impact on this franchise's "relevance" than Carter did.

I voted Kawhi simply because leading us to a title will always be the most significant accolade for the team. This doesn't mean Vince's impact when things looked very bleak for basketball in Canada at that time doesn't matter.

He was a massive reason why we didnt become the Grizzlies. Americans laughed at basketball in Canada while Canadians did a lot to ignore basketball at that time. All the Canadians in the NBA can attest to what Vince Carter meant to basketball blowing up in Canada and that can never be understated...

[Fairview4Life]

Thats not really a good way to look at things. If anything, that shows how relevant Vince made the Raptors alone and how crappy the management was during his time. This is why Masai is held in such high regards.

Blame management all you want. The fact is his teams won all of 1 playoff series while he was here and he left the team just as worse off as it was before he came.

Kawhi had a far greater impact on this franchise's "relevance" than Carter did.

I voted Kawhi simply because leading us to a title will always be the most significant accolade for the team. This doesn't mean Vince's impact when things looked very bleak for basketball in Canada at that time doesn't matter.

He was a massive reason why we didnt become the Grizzlies. Americans laughed at basketball in Canada while Canadians did a lot to ignore basketball at that time. All the Canadians in the NBA can attest to what Vince Carter meant to basketball blowing up in Canada and that can never be understated...

Vince had little to do with the Raptors staying in Toronto. There was no risk of the team being moved to the US. Completely different ownership structure and arena situation and fanbase from Vancouver.

[Tor_Raps]

Blame management all you want. The fact is his teams won all of 1 playoff series while he was here and he left the team just as worse off as it was before he came.

Kawhi had a far greater impact on this franchise's "relevance" than Carter did.

I voted Kawhi simply because leading us to a title will always be the most significant accolade for the team. This doesn't mean Vince's impact when things looked very bleak for basketball in Canada at that time doesn't matter.

He was a massive reason why we didnt become the Grizzlies. Americans laughed at basketball in Canada while Canadians did a lot to ignore basketball at that time. All the Canadians in the NBA can attest to what Vince Carter meant to basketball blowing up in Canada and that can never be understated...

Vince had little to do with the Raptors staying in Toronto. There was no risk of the team being moved to the US. Completely different ownership structure and arena situation and fanbase from Vancouver.

Sure but you realize that this team's best accomplishment for decades was winning one damn playoff series right? We were completely irrelevant other than that. Without Vince forcing Canadian media to step it up, not sure how much basketball would have blown up without his 3/4 years here.

[Fairview4Life]

Sure but you realize that this team's best accomplishment for decades was winning one damn playoff series right? We were completely irrelevant other than that. Without Vince forcing Canadian media to step it up, not sure how much basketball would have blown up without his 3/4 years here.

Am I aware of the Raptors struggles for 20 years? Yes, I am. That includes the 7 years with Vince, other than 2 seasons of "success" which Masai immediately eclipsed. Demar and Lowry and guys like that, who were decidedly not as talented as Vince, used 47 wins as a low bar. That was Vince's peak.

[Raps in 4]

Nobody outside of Toronto will ever associate Kawhi with the Raptors.

Vince will always be remembered as a Raptor. Vince was also one of the faces of the league. Kawhi, despite being a better player than VC ever was, never had the popular appeal that VC did.