The Toronto Raptors selected Collin Murray-Boyles, a versatile and defensive-minded forward from the University of South Carolina, with the ninth overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Standing 6 feet 7 inches and weighing 240 pounds, Murray-Boyles fits perfectly into the Raptors’ defense-first identity. However, it was still somewhat of a surprise.
Raptors Use Lottery Pick on Collin Murray-Boyles
Murray-Boyles is officially headed to Toronto as the Raptors used their lottery pick to select the South Carolina standout.
Murray-Boyles spent two years with the South Carolina Gamecocks and experienced impressive growth between his freshman and sophomore years. As a freshman in the 2023-2024 season, he averaged 10.4 points and 5.7 rebounds per game.
After a promising first season, the 6’7″ forward elevated his game to another level in his sophomore year, averaging 16.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.3 blocks per game, starting in all 32 games.
Welcome to Toronto, Collin Murray-Boyles 🤝
Presented by @TorontoStar pic.twitter.com/G4w6DPFucp
— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) June 26, 2025
Murray-Boyles will bring a much-needed physical presence to the Raptors’ frontcourt and should boost the defense while doing so. He is a great passer and could get a chance to handle the ball frequently in Toronto’s offense, as they run a five-out offense.
The former Gamecock is also an accurate weapon inside. He boasts a massive seven-foot wingspan. He can get to the basket off the dribble, shoot midrange jumpers, get to the free-throw line at will, and has a soft touch around the rim.
The Raptors have suddenly turned into a team that could contend for a top-eight spot in the East. Although Toronto finished 11th in their conference with a 30-52 record in the 2024-2025 season, they have made bold moves to climb back to the NBA’s mountaintop in their rebuild.
In 2023, the Raptors sent OG Anunoby to New York in exchange for RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, and a second-round pick. At the trade deadline this year, they acquired former NBA All-Star Brandon Ingram in exchange for Bruce Brown, Kelly Olynyk, and multiple draft picks, though Ingram has not yet played a game for the Raptors due to injury.
Now, the Raptors could have Quickley, Barrett, Scottie Barnes, Murray-Boyles, and Jakob Poeltl in the starting lineup.
The Columbia, South Carolina native is the second-highest drafted Gamecock in program history. He is the school’s first first-round selection since Renaldo Balkman went 20th overall to the New York Knicks in 2006, breaking the school’s 19-year first-round pick drought.
If his high-percentage shooting translates to the NBA, he was a career 59.0% shooter in college, he would provide much-needed efficient scoring for a team that finished in the bottom third of the league in field-goal percentage last season. Murray-Boyles will be counted on to help Toronto return to the playoffs for the first time since the 2021-2022 season.
