Raptors Select Murray-Boyles 9th Overall Amid Surprise Reaction
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By Nemanja Petković
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Summary:
- Collin Murray-Boyles was drafted 9th overall by the .
- The South Carolina forward averaged 16.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, and earned All-SEC honors for his defensive impact.
- GM Bobby Webster said the team was open to trades but ultimately kept the pick.
Collin Murray-Boyles had what appeared to be a moment of disbelief when he heard his name as the No. 9 pick by the Toronto Raptors in the 2025 NBA Draft.
The cameras were quick to catch the 20-year-old’s reaction, which included a head shake and some mumbled words, which some fans took as a sign of frustration regarding the announcement. However, the South Carolina forward quickly cleared things up.
Murray-Boyles said with a laugh, explaining that it was all just shock,
What I said was not a bad thing by any means. I’m just very thankful for it. That was a surreal moment to hear my name called by this organization that has a good history and have really good players right now. It was a crazy moment. Obviously, thankful for the opportunity that they’re giving me and taking it full on and ready to do whatever it takes and whatever they need me to do.
Raptors general manager Bobby Webster wasn’t concerned by the initial reaction.
A lot of teams will tell the players that they are getting picked, (but we don’t) so I don’t think he knew. I think it was truly a reaction to it happening. Maybe we should leak it to them. He knew we had interest.
Webster: “It’s Hard to Be Productive As a Rookie”
The Columbia native really came into his own in his second year at South Carolina. After already showing promise as a freshman, he significantly stepped things up, putting up 16.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 2.4 assists over 32 games.
The year before, he turned heads when he made the SEC All-Freshman Team. However, this season, he showed he wasn’t just a one-year wonder.
His strong play earned him second-team All-SEC honors, and it wasn’t just about scoring, as he made a real impact on defense too, averaging 1.5 steals and 1.3 blocks a game.
He’s the kind of player who’s always moving, always active, and willing to do the dirty work. With that kind of energy and versatility, there’s a good chance he can make an impact early as he makes the jump to the pros.
It’s hard to be productive as a rookie. I do think the one thing that gets you on the court as a rookie is your defence, and so I think that gives him a leg up.
Murray-Boyles hopes to fit in quickly with Toronto’s plans.
Something with me is I’ve been a role player, I’ve been a guy coming off the bench and I’ve been the guy. I’ve had it all. Whatever the coach needs me to do, especially early on, I’m just trying to find my role as quick as possible and help the team win.
Toronto, coming off a 30-52 NBA season, held onto the ninth pick despite draft day trade buzz.
Webster noted
The draft really started with us. That’s probably where a lot of the noise came from.
The Raptors still have another pick, 39th overall, coming in Thursday’s second round.
