How Can Collin-Murray Boyles Impact the Raptors?

Collin Murray-Boyles was an absolute menace on both sides of the ball with the South Carolina Gamecocks, and shined despite playing for a team that struggled mightily throughout SEC play.

The 6-foot-7 forward prospect provides two-way ability in spades, making him playable early on in his career. This means that when Toronto spent the no. 9 pick on the SEC star, they were not simply drafting for the future, but drafting for someone who could be a contributor as a young player.

As a sophomore at South Carolina, Murray-Boyles averaged 16.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.3 blocks per game, and was considered by many to be the second-best defensive player in the lottery this year behind just Cooper Flagg.

His impact as a physical player in the paint that makes shots uncomfortable for opposing players near the rim is a valuable skill, and one that matches well with Toronto's defensive identity already; tie this in with his relentless motor and ability to score in the paint, and you have a draft pick that can be more useful than a typical first-year player.

His rebounding is another factor that could get him on the floor early – the Raptors were already great on the offensive boards this past season at fourth in the NBA with 12.6, and Murray-Boyles could further improve these statistics. His 8.3 boards per game, including 2.2 offensive, means he could give his team extra chances on the offensive end, and with his burgeoning passing skill, could potentially kick out to shooters like Gradey Dick on the perimeter. The Raptors were 10th overall in rebounding, and Murray-Boyles could further strengthen their front court unit.

Offensively, the hope is that Murray-Boyles can learn to become a perimeter threat, as right now, he is a strictly interior player on that end of the floor. The problem is that he is not tall enough to play just power forward; he will have to become at least a capable shooter from beyond the arc. This will in turn allow him to attack closeouts, allowing his interior skill to further shine.

Overall, Murray-Boyles was a bit of a risky pick in some sense, but the defensive and rebounding upside make him more of a solid bet to be effective early. If he can continue to leverage these skills while adding more of an offensive bag, Murray-Boyles can be a player that lives up to his draft stock.