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Although I am by no means a Rob Babcock supporter and consider Rafael Araujo a terrible 8th pick, I disagree with a lot of the so called “experts” regarding their assessment of the Raptor’s 2005 draft selections. In addition, I also believe that critics such as Stephen A. Smith and Dick Vitale (to a lesser extend) get paid the big bucks to be vocal and controversial. I mean, if Steven A. Smith had any extra special skills in judging basketball talent, NBA General Managers would be lining up and providing him with front office opportunities on their respective teams. Here are my reasons why the ESPN panel was WRONG in their assessment:

- Gerald Green had made it clear that he did not want to be a Raptor. The Raptors had no intention of selecting another potential disgruntle star e.g. Carter and T-Mac. Furthermore, although Green has a huge upside, he is by no means a Lebron James caliber player who could immediately impact a team. There is no doubt in my mind that Green would struggle in his first two years in the NBA, only to start showing promise in his third year. By the time Green is an established star in the NBA, he would likely look to flee Toronto just like so many other promising players have in the past. Green's attitude simply turned off the Raptors brass and their fans. You just cannot draft on potential. One has to consider the big picture.

- The fact that Granger fell as low as he did indicates to me that many teams, including the Raptors, had concerns regarding his durability. The Raptors do not need another star player with durability issues, e.g. Carter. Granger will get pushed around in the NBA and it will be interesting to see whether his body will hold through the rigorous 82 game NBA season.

- Although Charlie Villanueva plays a similar position as CB4 (Chris Bosh), the Raps intend on utilizing both players at 3,4, and 5. There aren't too many teams in the NBA who possess a true center anymore, and with Marshall out of the picture as a free agent, the Raps just added more depth at 4. Depending on the matchups, Charlie-V and CB4 can get a lot of minutes playing along side each other. Can you imagine the improved rebounding? You can NEVER have enough big bodies who possess the versatility of CB 4 and Charlie V.

- Although Granger might be a better overall player than Graham, Graham provides the Raptors with a lot of the intangibles, including leadership and toughness. The Raptors need to improve their locker room presence; they need character guys like Graham and simply not a scoring machine like Granger. Yes Granger is also a good defender, but he is not physical like Graham. The Raps have not had a physical “character guy” (an intimidating force) since Charles Oakley. Graham is a beast, and his presence will have a huge impact on the Raptors. As the Pistons and the Spurs proved once again this year, you simply cannot win merely by accumulating the best talent (e.g. Phoenix Suns); you need compliment of players that are willing to do the dirty work such as Bruce Bowen and Ben Wallace. I will guarantee you that Graham will be an intimidating player in a few years, and teams will think twice before taking liberty at star players such as Chris Bosh. For years, the Raptors have rightfully been considered as one of the “softest” teams in the league.

- Roko Ujic was a steal at 41. Roko will be a fan favorite in Toronto and he possesses what the Raptors have lacked for many years, which is a point guard that is willing to slash and create for others. Roko has unbelievable potential and he is a gym rat. Some Mock Drafts had him going as high as 16.

The bottom line is that the Raptors wanted to select players that wanted to be Raptors, and they managed to get four of them. No more drafting players that use Toronto as a platform to stardom, only to soon turn their backs on the city and their loyal fans and criticize the franchise that gave them all the tools to succeed. The Raptors' front office is by no means perfect, but overall, playing for the Raptors is nothing to be ashamed of. I still think that Toronto has some of the loudest and most loyal fans in the NBA.

For the first time I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel with this franchise. With Lamond and Aaron Williams off the books next year and two more 1st round picks possibly added to the roster following the next draft, this team is definitely heading the right way. With Jalen off the books in two years, we can easily sign Magloire as he is hell bent on playing for the Raptors. This team will be very competitive in two or three years. For the first time ever, I can actually admit that Babcock did alright.

Lets stop complaining and welcome Charlie V, Graham and Roko to Toronto with open arms. I am definitely excited about next year.

Go Raps.