It would be easy, surveying the prospects of the Toronto Raptors for the 2005-2006 season, to assess all the reasons why the team looks ripe for failure. But that’s not me: I’m an optimist, a glass one-quarter full kind of guy.

If you want to know why not to watch the Raptors this year, read Dave Feschuk in the Toronto Star. I’m here to tell you five reasons why you shouldn’t give up hope.

  1. Rookies. There’s no better reason to tune into Raptors games this season than to watch the emergence of power forward Charlie Villanueva, small forward Joey Graham, and point guard Jose Calderon-a trio of talented young first-year players on whom the franchise is staking its future. When an organization in professional sports enters the dreaded ‘rebuilding’ phase-GM Rob Babcock has actually publicly conceded that the team won’t be contending this year-only a prevalence of talented young players on the roster provides legitimate hope for the future.

Villanueva, in particular, could be a standout this year for the Raps. In the preseason the 6’11 forward led all rookies in the league with an average of 16.9 points per game, while contributing 5.3 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 30.3 minutes. It’s always nice to have a rookie-of-the-year candidate to take attention away from the wins and losses.

  1. Draft Prospects. With the Raptors almost guaranteed to land a top-ten pick for the fourth straight year, the June draft already sets up to be the climax of the season. If this makes Raptors games somewhat less enticing to watch, it also dramatically increases the relevance of NCAA basketball games to Toronto fans.

When Loren Woods’ missed dunks and Jalen Rose’s forced shots start getting you down, switch the channel to American college ball and imagine what aspiring stars such as Rudy Gay, Josh Boone, and Adam Morrison would look like in Raptors uniforms.

  1. Sam Mitchell. It is hard not to like Raptors coach Sam Mitchell. He is the guy who allegedly bodyslammed Vince Carter last season and made former Raptor point guard Rafer Alston cry. He hates it when grossly overpaid and over-egoed players don’t play as hard as they can, and isn’t afraid to let them know it.

If there is anyone capable of conjuring some magic from this ill-assorted group of players, Sam is the man. Of course, that’s a big if.

  1. Chris Bosh. When a 21-year-old is made the captain of an NBA team, it’s generally a pretty bad sign. In the case of the Raptors’ Chris Bosh, however, that may not be true.

The 6’11 power forward/centre should play well enough to earn an invitation to the all-star game in this, his third season. Any success the team has will be predicated on Bosh’s ability to both score and find open teammates while confronted with near-constant doubleteams.

  1. Alvin Williams. The Raptors will be worth watching this year just in order to catch a last glimpse of point guard Alvin Williams before his career is officially ended by recurring leg injuries. If there is an antithesis to the unmotivated, selfish and fragile Vince Carter, it is Williams.

Despite a large, guaranteed contract, multiple surgeries, and near-constant pain, Williams has doggedly rehabbed and trained his way back to the court for a last hurrah. Alvin epitomizes nearly everything good about the Raptors’ brief history, and all that warms my heart about the NBA in general. It is almost worth going to games just to give him a standing ovation when he steps on the floor. Almost.