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<p><strong>The improbable story of the birth of modern-day pro basketball in Toronto</strong></p><p>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.&nbsp;</p><p>In&nbsp;<i>Prehistoric</i>, irreverent Raptors voice and culture writer Alex Wong explores the franchise&rsquo;s fascinating and unconventional inception through 140 original interviews with those involved with the team&rsquo;s very beginning, examining the process of how the team came up with their name and logo inspired by the blockbuster film&nbsp;<i>Jurassic Park</i>, 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&rsquo;s opening night victory at the SkyDome and the expansion franchise&rsquo;s signature win over Michael Jordan and a 72-win Chicago Bulls team.&nbsp;</p><p>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.&nbsp;</p>