Collin Murray-Boyles is expected to have a smaller role than most other lottery picks to start his rookie season, although the Toronto Raptors still picked up a unique talent.
With the ninth overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, the Toronto Raptors selected two-way standout Collin Murray-Boyles from South Carolina.
Murray-Boyles plays a similar position to both Brandon Ingram and Scottie Barnes, so aside from the occasional small-ball lineup, he will likely come off the bench, which is not where most ninth overall selections start their careers.
In college, he was a heady, physical defender who improved his scoring significantly from his first and second seasons, and if he can blend his talents, he should be a very good player on both sides of the ball.
As a burly, 6-foot-7 forward, Murray-Boyles is a force in the paint and midrange, although his outside shot certainly needs some work. He is far from a complete player at this stage, but he has the tools to excel.
Unlike a lot of true forwards, he grew up playing some point guard.
“Thanks to a late growth spurt, Murray-Boyles grew up with the ball in his hands, which explains the versatility in his game all these years later,” offered TSN’s Josh Lewenberg. “He’s always been a gifted passer and creative playmaker.”
At South Carolina, Murray-Boyles averaged 16.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 2.8 “stocks” while leading the SEC in field goal percentage, although he wants to be a lot more than just a bruiser in the paint.
“Murray-Boyles grew up watching and trying to emulate James Harden, but as his game started to take shape, his influences changed,” Lewenburg outlined. “He admired like-minded forwards such as Draymond Green, Aaron Gordon, Jalen Williams, Toumani Camara, and another player with famously big and quick hands, former Raptor Kawhi Leonard.
“He studied the way they used their length, physicality, and anticipation, and how they balanced being aggressive without taking too many unnecessary risks.”
For Raptors fans especially, any comparison to Kawhi Leonard should thrill them, as in just one season, he cemented himself as perhaps the greatest player in franchise history. It’s a high bar, but Murray-Boyles has the tools.
Behind more established players like DeJuan Blair, Richard Jefferson, and even Danny Green, Leonard did not play a massive role on the San Antonio Spurs during his rookie season.
Murray-Boyles is in a similar spot, although the expectations to succeed are higher than they were when Leonard entered the league.
While he doesn’t have an elite handle or shot like Harden, he can pass the rock rather well for someone of his size, although his game is more Draymond Green-adjacent than anything else.
Of course, players with Green’s scoring limitations but complete passing, defense, and leadership qualities are few and far between, although with Barnes cemented as a long-term first option on the Raptors, expect Murray-Boyles to eventually emerge as a defensive anchor and secondary facilitator, doing all of the dirty work that made Green famous but is often overlooked.
In his first season, expect Murray-Boyles to be a quality bench player, but not much more. However, the Raptors seem well aware that it will take some time for him to reach his prime, but by then, they will have two excellent forwards who can dominate on both ends of the floor.
