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Damon Stoudamire isn't surprised the Toronto Raptors ultimately stood the test of time. The first draft pick in franchise history could sense a groundswell of support building for basketball in Canada's largest city when the team played its inaugural game 20 years ago Tuesday. Stoudamire believed hoops would find a place in the hearts of Toronto fans, and the Raptors have indeed built a sturdy, loyal fan base that ranked fifth in the NBA in attendance last season. "Once they got the NBA up there, I thought that people would gravitate to it," Stoudamire said. "I definitely thought it was coming." The Raptors defeated the visiting New Jersey Nets 94-79 on Nov. 3, 1995, tipping off a new era of sports in the province of Ontario. Stoudamire, making his pro debut, had 10 points and 10 assists in a team-high 38 minutes of work. "There was a lot of excitement, a lot of buildup," said Stoudamire, now an assistant coach at the University of Memphis. "I just wanted us to win that first game." The Raptors played their first three seasons in the SkyDome -- now known as Rogers Centre. The venue is a fine home for MLB's Blue Jays, but it's suboptimal for basketball, to put it mildly. Nevertheless, the large capacity allowed the Raptors to rank third in the league in attendance their first year. "I can't remember how many people were there," Stoudemire said of the Raptors' debut. "But, man, there were people sitting in places where I know they couldn't see the game."  The official turnstile count at the opener was a bulbous 33,306, but news reports of the game indicated that fans weren't exactly sure what to make of the action at times. The loudest ovation was heard when the faces of supermodel Cindy Crawford and the Blue Jays' Paul Molitor graced the video screen. The Raptors had drafted Stoudamire with the seventh overall pick in 1995, and the former University of Arizona point guard went on to earn Rookie of the Year honors by averaging 19 points and 9.3 assists per game. "It was my first NBA game, so for me, it was a goosebump feeling," Stoudemire said. "Selfishly, I was a little disappointed I didn't score the first bucket in franchise history." The first basket was instead scored by veteran guard Alvin Robertson, who poured in a game-high 30 points, and Acie Earl scored 16 off the bench for Toronto. Kenny Anderson and Armon Gilliam led the Nets with just 13 points each, as New Jersey was held to 33.3 percent shooting from the field. Stoudamire had 26 points and 11 assists in the Raptors' second game, but the Raptors lost 97-89 on the road to the Indiana Pacers. Toronto lost the following six games before reeling off three consecutive wins to pull to 4-7.  The Raptors finished with a 21-61 record that first season, but they did beat the dynastic Chicago Bulls 109-108 on March 24, 1996. With a crowd of 36,131 on hand for a Sunday afternoon tip at the SkyDome, Toronto handed Michael Jordan & Co. a rare loss during their record-setting 72-10 season. The expansion Vancouver Grizzlies debuted the same night as the Raptors, earning a surprising 92-80 win on the road against the Portland Trail Blazers and spoiling the hosts' debut at the new Rose Garden arena. Two days later, the Grizzlies won their home opener 100-98 over the Minnesota Timberwolves in overtime. Then came 19 consecutive losses and a spiral of futility that wouldn't end until after the franchise eventually moved to Memphis. Stoudamire eventually asked to be traded out of Toronto after general manager Isiah Thomas resigned in November 1997 because of clashes with owner Allan Slaight. The Raptors dealt Stoudamire to his hometown Trail Blazers in February 1998, and he went on to also play for the Memphis Grizzlies and San Antonio Spurs during a 13-year pro career. After retiring as a player, he served as an assistant coach for the Grizzlies and his alma mater in addition to two stints at the University of Memphis. He aspires to become either a college or NBA coach someday. Meanwhile, this year's Raptors are off to a 3-0 start -- one of just four remaining undefeated teams. And the fans know exactly what to make of the action on the court.
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