Prehistoric: The Audacious and Improbable Origin Story of the Toronto Raptors

by Alex Wong

The improbable story of the birth of modern-day pro basketball in Toronto In just over 25 years, the Toronto Raptors have evolved from an intrepid expansion team to an NBA champion. But for all the triumphs of the past decade, the beginning looked a bit different. When the franchise began its first season in 1995, a pro basketball team in Toronto was viewed as an experiment. There was no playbook to follow, and very few people gave them a chance to succeed.  In  Prehistoric , irreverent Raptors voice and culture writer Alex Wong explores the franchise’s fascinating and unconventional inception through 140 original interviews with those involved with the team’s very beginning, examining the process of how the team came up with their name and logo inspired by the blockbuster film  Jurassic Park , taking a behind-the-scenes look at the drafting of star point guard Damon Stoudamire, telling the backstories of a group of misfits who formed the first-year roster, and providing an in-depth look at the team’s opening night victory at the SkyDome and the expansion franchise’s signature win over Michael Jordan and a 72-win Chicago Bulls team.  The Raptors boldly and intentionally pursued a much different audience in a hockey-first town. The result is a team who went through the necessary growing pains and eventually captured the heart of a city, as told in this essential origin story through the lens of the people who were there to help lay the foundation for a thriving modern-day basketball franchise in Toronto. 

Genres: Sports, Basketball, Nonfiction, Canada, History, Canadian Literature

320 pages, Paperback

Published December 5, 2023

About the author

Alex Wong is the head copywriter for an advertising media agency specializing in custom websites and internet marketing.

He's trained with some of the top copywriters and internet marketers around and has learned the best methods, tricks, and strategies to persuade customers. He loves bringing people’s visions to life with the power of words.

A few other interesting things you might find interesting...

· He's the first person in his family to graduate from university (with a degree in psychology).

· Before becoming a copywriter, he's worked as a waiter, customer service agent, telemarketer, animator, tutor and English teacher. Surprisingly, all of these jobs have helped him to become a better copywriter.

· If he could meet one anyone it would be Bruce Lee. You couldn’t ask for a better role model

Reviews

[Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book by Alex Wong. Alex has covered the top of the Raptors peak with his championship book and now he takes us back to the beginning.

Lots of interesting facts about the inaugural Raptors season. It was interesting to hear different perspectives on what the Raptors meant to people. It was surprising to see how little some people knew about basketball. When I was growing up I didn't think basketball was that inaccessible.

I'm glad to learn about the identity of the Raptor and am inspired by how he is still performing at a high level as a year one employee.

I was happy to learn more year one stats. I can't remember how many games I went to in year one but i remembering winning some shoppers drug mart tickets. I didn't think being the skydome for games was that bad. Basketball players are recognizable even from the 500 level.

The section of John Saunders was informative and showed that he was more than a broadcaster, he was a caring human being. RIP John Saunders.

I personally find Alex's story inspiring. He followed a stereotypical Asian Canadian path but was able to pursue his true calling. He has made a name for himself in a tough sports journalism market and I look forward to see what he has coming next.

[Mark Lieberman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is yet another book that has been in my Amazon WishList for a while. And after reading other genres of books for a few months, I needed a basketball sports one and this was it.

Alex Wong tells the story of how the Toronto Raptors came to life and their first year in 1995, as he interviewed more than 100 people involved (from the owner to the players to the mascot to the front office staff). I liked reading about the expansion draft, the draft, and how the players on that 1995 came to be. The stories of the front office staff and how most of them got started was inspiring to me. It was mostly about the first season, but he did mention very quickly the rest and even the NBA Championship they won in 2019.

This is one of the first books, where as I was reading it, I was also jotting down some notes for this review as I kept seeing a repeating link between the 1995 Raptors and the San Antonio Spurs. Now, I am a fan of the Spurs so just let me ramble for a minute.

Several former San Antonio Spurs players were on that 1995 Raptor team: Alvin Robertson, Willie Anderson, Tony Massenburg, Tracey Murray, and Chris Whitney. Who scored the first bucket? Well, it was Alvin Robertson! Alvin and Willie, and along with the General manager Isaiah Thomas, helped make the rookie Damon Stoudamire into one heck of a player. Damon even played for the Spurs in 2008!

The Raptors were in needed of a scoreboard, and the Spurs had one as they were already playing in the Alamodome in 1995. So, it was dismantled and shipped to the Skydome in Toronto.

The mascot for the Raptors reached out to the Spurs Coyote for advice.

Overall, am awesome choice for me as I really enjoyed it.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a great way to start my 2026 reading year (and a reminder of why basketball is an integral part of my life, especially when the Sacramento Kings are a HOT MESS this season).

I appreciated the in-depth interviews and all the research that went into this project. The 25-year anniversary of their expansion team was foiled (as many other things were) by the Covid-19 pandemic. This book was a beautiful reflection of all the things that had to go right and all the passionate people involved to bring the NBA back to Canada. I was delighted to see all the connections to the Kings: Jimmy King's contributions (Fab Five & Chris Webber), Doug Christie (draft night, trade deadline, their historic win over the 72-10 Chicago Bulls), Brendan Malone as the first coach (father of Michael Malone, who also only got a short time with a bad SAC team).

I liked seeing the behind-the-scenes action that traditional NBA fans don't usually pursue. Hearing about the ticket sales, how the mascot was hired, the construction of the Dance Pak... it was all so fascinating. The book read really quickly and I would be interested in reading more by this author.

[Tanner Olson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being a basketball fan growing up in the 90’s, this book brought back rushes of nostalgia. The Toronto Raptors were a team that I was not super familiar with besides the big names, but Alex Wang did a fantastic job of intricately telling the story of how the franchise came to be.

Starting from the bid process, to the expansion draft, through the entire first season, this book told the story from all sorts of interesting angles. Factoids and excerpts from players, owners, coaches, and even many of the staff members made this book a fast and easy read in a good way. This is the second book that I’ve read from Alex and I was not disappointed.

I would definitely recommend this book for any basketball fan or sport fans in general.

[Tim Barretto-Burns · Rating 5 out of 5]

A feel-good, light read about the improbable origins of the Toronto Raptors. For any expansion team, the first season is bound to be underwhelming. Wong’s character-driven approach adds pathos and heart to a franchise that now feels so iconic to the NBA and Toronto landscape. Well worth a read for any Raptors fan, or NBA fan who’ve experienced the throes of a championship drought.

[TMHstarscream · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not a huge basketball fan, but I found this to be a very cool read. The history of the team and how it came about was neat to get into. I was 12 at the time and knew nothing other than they were my fav dinosaur from the Jurassic Park movie.

It was a rocky start to be sure but still interesting.

[Darcy Haldane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the soft cover from my local library. The more I read, the more I realize how crazy the idea of an NBA team in Toronto during the 1990's actually was. I love the detail, and all the interviews with everyone from the the season ticket sellers to players, and broadcast guys. As a lifelong Raptors fan, this only deepened my love for the team.

[Corey Craig · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I’m a basketball sicko and try to read every basketball book that hits the market. In doing that, I find you can really tell who did good research compared to great research. Alex Wong did a Hermione level of research in writing this book and it shows. So many great little details throughout the book. Read it.

[Parker Fleming · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book that not only told the origin story of a fun franchise, but also dove into the intricacies of crafting an expansion team — from leadership identification, development of a sales/marketing team to sell a city on an unknown product, and building a NBA team with the vision of sustainable success

[Shanda Slipp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Engaging, funny, insightful. Incredible behind-the-curtain look at the beginnings of the franchise. The amount of research and work that went into this project shines through. Required reading for Raptors and basketball fans!

[Mr. Wavvy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Each chapter holds its own weight, tells a compelling story within its confines. Works just as eloquently in vignettes as it does the whole package.

Alex Wong continues to delight. His reads are light, quick reads yet very insightful and crafted with so much card.

[Jas Otal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t see a world where any Raps superfan wouldn’t love this trip down memory lane with quotes, insight, and scoop from the players and team staff about the lead up to and including the first season.

[Darren Huynh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prehistoric is more than just a book about the team. I really loved the way alex wrote it. It felt like a celebration of the people that made the team so special during its first year. Alex Wong's work is always a pleasure to read or listen.

[Matthew O'Brien · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favourite book i've read all year! It's a completely different perspective in the years leading up to and first year of the Toronto Raptors.

Be right back off to buy a Damon Stoudamire jersey!

[Andrew Moulton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alex does a fantastic job brining the story of the birth of the Toronto Raptors. What an awesome read for any fan of the Toronto Raptors or any basketball fan.

[McKenzie Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is special. Like really, really special.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun peak behind the curtain of everything that wen into the beginning of the Toronto Raptors. Some interesting nuggets for anyone who likes the franchise.

[Brayden Elliott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book on the Toronto Raptors that I’ve ever read. I can read, but I can’t personally write a book myself. So I don’t feel comfortable giving any book less than 5 stars.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a Raptors fan from day one, I loved hearing all of these stories.

[Duarte · Rating 2 out of 5]

seria infinitamente mellor libro se non fixera a mesma biografia para cada puta persoa da que fala, sendo a metade irrelevantes.

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incredibly well researched. Wish there were pictures

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved it. The drama, the comraderies, and the coming together to bring basketball to Toronto is a tale worth reading.

[Omari Jarrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent Summary of the Raptors first season. There was a lot of info I didn't know about the first season and I have been following the team since their inception!

[Ingrid · Rating 5 out of 5]

I devoured this book. Alex Wong's ability to immerse you in the emotion of the moments he recounts in this book is nothing short of extraordinary. You feel like you're right there with the founders, executives, day 1 staff, and players as they go through the ups and downs of one of the first NBA expansion teams outside of the US. The intro left me with goosebumps, priming me to dive right in. The final chapters left me teary eyed with emotion after becoming so invested in players on the team from almost 20 years ago. After reading this book, you'll marvel at how truly improbable it was for this team to even make it to the opening tipoff, let alone the 2019 NBA finals. If you're a fan of sports, basketball, logo design, Toronto, Canada, the Raptors, the NBA, or stories of triumph/camaraderie/friendship/perseverance/overcoming insurmountable odds, this book is for you.