3 Draft Trends That Define the Masai Ujiri Era With the Toronto Raptors

The Toronto Raptors don’t draft based on position, age, or play style.

Since 2014, Masai Ujiri and the Raptors’ front office have selected both one-and-done freshmen and multi-year college players. They’ve taken polished point guards like Malachi Flynn and Delon Wright, and raw wings like OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam. They’ve drafted big men like Jakob Poeltl, sharpshooters like Gradey Dick, and everything in between.

What they haven’t done is stray from their broader draft philosophy. The Raptors prioritize structure, development, and context. While the types of players vary, the environments they come from tend to follow a pattern.

With the No. 9 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, Toronto’s draft history provides a useful guide for what to expect. The Raptors don’t always take the most obvious player, but their preferences are consistent. And over the past decade, three trends stand out that may offer clues about what they’ll do next.

Preference for College Players

Since 2014, the Raptors have made nine first-round picks under Ujiri. Eight of those players came from NCAA programs.

The lone exception was Bruno Caboclo, the raw Brazilian forward selected 20th overall in 2014. That pick was a swing on long-term upside and didn’t work out for Toronto. Since then, the Raptors have not used a first-round pick on a non-college player.

That does not mean the organization avoids international scouting. Toronto famously tried to trade into the 2013 draft to select Giannis Antetokounmpo, and in 2024, they used the 57th pick on Ulrich Chomche, the 6-foot-11 Cameroonian center from the NBA Academy in Africa. But when it comes to the first round, the front office has shown a consistent preference for NCAA prospects.

Looking at the 2025 draft class, several international players are projected to go in the first round, including Joan Beringer (Cedevita Olimpija), Noa Essengue (Ratiopharm Ulm), and Nolan Traore (Saint-Quentin). Historically, that kind of profile has not aligned with the Raptors’ first-round strategy.

Winning Pedigrees

The Raptors do not just draft college players. They draft college players who win.

Every first-round NCAA prospect selected under Ujiri has come from a program with a winning record. The only partial exception is OG Anunoby, whose Indiana team finished 18–16 during his sophomore season. However, the Hoosiers went 10–6 in games Anunoby played before a season-ending injury, and he had already been part of a 27–8 team as a freshman that won the Big Ten regular-season title.

This trend appears intentional. Toronto has not focused solely on traditional powerhouses, but nearly every first-round pick has come from a program with a proven track record. The Raptors consistently target players who understand structure, accountability, and what it takes to win.

There are occasional exceptions in the second round. Dalano Banton, selected 46th overall in 2021, played at Nebraska, which finished 7–20 in his final season. But among first-rounders, players from losing teams have not been selected.

That could be relevant in 2025. Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey, two top picks from Rutgers, played on a team that finished below .500. South Carolina’s Collin Murray-Boyles also comes from a team with a losing record. While other teams may focus on individual upside, the Raptors have historically leaned toward players with a winning background.

No First-Round Trades

In more than a decade under Ujiri, the Raptors have never made a first-round trade.

They have not traded up, down, or back into the first round on draft night. Every first-round pick Toronto has held heading into the draft has been used in place, and the team has never acquired a first-rounder from another team on draft night.

That does not mean the Raptors have avoided trade discussions. They tried to move into the 2013 draft to select Antetokounmpo and reportedly made a push in 2018 to trade up for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Neither deal materialized.

While draft-night trades are discussed widely across the league, Toronto’s front office has historically stayed put. The Raptors have prioritized preparation, internal evaluation, and making the most of their draft position rather than maneuvering around the board.

Further Reading