- The Toronto Raptors had 10 different head coaches throughout its franchise history.
- Nick Nurse is the only head coach to lead them to an NBA title.
- Dwane Casey is the winningest head coach in Toronto Raptors history.
Since joining the NBA in the 1995-96 season, the Toronto Raptors have seen 10 head coaches who helped the team reach new milestones and ultimately claim the coveted Larry O’Brien Championship trophy. These head tacticians were responsible for making the team relevant in basketball betting through BetMGM’s online sportsbook.
Furthermore, during their respective tenures, they improved the team’s NBA odds of winning a title. Today, I’ve ranked the top seven coaches that the Toronto Raptors have had throughout their franchise history based on their contribution to the team’s success.
Best Toronto Raptors Coaches of All Time, Ranked
| Rank | Coach | Years Tenure with Toronto |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nick Nurse | 2019-2023 |
| 2 | Dwane Casey | 2012-2018 |
| 3 | Lenny Wilkens | 2001-2003 |
| 4 | Sam Mitchell | 2005-2009 |
| 5 | Butch Carter | 1998-2000 |
| 6 | Darko Rajakovic | 2024-present |
| 7 | Brendan Malone | 1995-1996 |
1. Nick Nurse
First on the list is Nick Nurse, appointed by the team in 2019. His first year with Toronto was extra challenging since they made one of the biggest offseason moves by acquiring Kawhi Leonard in a blockbuster trade with the San Antonio Spurs.
Nick Nurse Resume
– 2019 NBA Champion
– Rockstar / Meme God
– 2020 @NBA Coach of the YearWe're proud of you, Nick!
📰 » https://t.co/A9lktjDCcE pic.twitter.com/6sG6VqD5jX
— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) August 22, 2020
But Nurse stepped up to the plate and accepted the challenge. He led them to the NBA Finals against the defending champions Golden State Warriors and dethroned them in six games for the Raptors’ first-ever NBA title. His tenure with the team ended in 2023, but he amassed an incredible record of 252-179 in both the regular season and the playoffs.
2. Dwane Casey
Before Nurse took on the helm, Dwane Casey was the head coach that made Toronto a perpetual playoff team. He was named the team’s coach in 2012 and guided the team to five straight postseason runs.
We would like to congratulate Dwane Casey on becoming the Raptors all time winningest Coach. #WeTheNorth pic.twitter.com/b81WShHOqP
— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) November 2, 2015
Casey even helped Toronto become the number one-seed team in the Eastern Conference during the 2017-18 season. Before parting ways with the Raptors in 2018, he recorded 341 wins and 268 losses to become the winningest coach in team history.
3. Lenny Wilkens
Legendary head coach Lenny Wilkens was once the head coach of the Toronto Raptors. During his three-year tenure, he helped them reach the postseason for two consecutive seasons, guiding them to their first-ever series victory as a franchise.
Wilkens accumulated a record of 121 wins and 142 losses as a head coach. Despite an overall losing record during his time with the team, his impact and contribution played a massive role in the development of the franchise.
4. Sam Mitchell
Another head coach who helped the Raptors reach the postseason is Sam Mitchell. He was appointed in 2005 and lasted until 2009. During this period, Mitchell and Toronto earned a spot in the playoffs in 2007 and 2008 but crashed out of the first round.
As the head coach, Mitchell recorded an overall record of 159 wins and 197 losses during his four seasons with the team.
5. Butch Carter
The first-ever head coach that led the Toronto Raptors to the playoffs was Butch Carter, who spearheaded the team to the 2000 postseason as the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference. This was also the first season in franchise history that they ended the regular season with over 0.50% record.
Despite reaching the postseason for the first time, the Raptors were rudely eliminated in the first round by the New York Knicks with a 3-0 sweep and quickly ended their championship during that season. Carter finished his tenure with Toronto with a record of 73-95.
6. Darko Rajakovic
The team’s present head coach, Darko Rajakonic, is already on the list of the best coaches because of his promising first season with them, which was only 11 games short of making it to the play-in tournament.
Toronto ended the regular season with 25 wins and 57 losses, and this doesn’t feel bad since the team decided to hit the rebuild button halfway through the season by trading away Pascal Siakam to Indiana during the trade deadline. With a healthy roster and newly acquired players from the draft, the Raptors will be looking to earn a spot in the play-in next season.
7. Brendan Malone
Brendan Malone was the first head coach of the Toronto Raptors when they joined the league as an expansion team in 1995. Although they failed to have a winning record in only one season with the team, Malone will forever be etched in the franchise’s history as their inaugural tactician.
Malone helped Toronto win 21 games during their first year in the league, which was not a bad start considering that they were new and the league’s competitiveness during this era.