According to a source close to the team, the Raptors attempted to trade down in the draft where they could still have obtained Charlie Villanueva, but there was little interest in their position at No. 7, mainly because the picks in the teens had so many high quality players.
Villanueva said he was surprised he was taken so high.
"It definitely feels good to be the seventh pick, Toronto definitely saw something in me and they believed in me," he said. "All my life there's been people doubting me. One thing about me and that's I always believed in myself and I know what I'm capable of doing.
"All my hard work paid off."
Babcock said he only made his decision to take Villanueva on Monday.
"He can play the four spot and the five spot," Babcock said. "He runs the floor very well, he can go outside and shoot the ball and he can put it on the floor and take it to the hole. He can post up and he passes the ball very, very well. He's a good rebounder and he's an improving player and he's only 20 years old."