""Very rarely do you see a rookie come in and impact the game in a positive way," said Webster. "I think the one area where he can, and is probably the best way for rookies, is on the defensive end. He's incredibly disruptive defensively, and we've seen that here in September, we saw it in college, we saw it at Summer League."
"With Murray-Boyles' near 7-foot-1 wingspan and 239-pound frame, the rookie was viewed as one of, if not the best, defender in the 2025 draft class coming out of South Carolina. His scheme-versatility, lateral movement, physicality, and strong hands stood out with the Gamecocks. Murray-Boyles averaged 1.5 steals and 1.3 blocks last season, while the team had a 105.7 defensive rating with Murray-Boyles on, and a 117.8 defensive rating with him off (97th percentile)."
Collin Murray-Boyles was selected ninth overall by the Toronto Raptors and is expected to contribute defensively early in his career. General manager Bobby Webster emphasized Murray-Boyles' disruptive defensive traits shown in college, Summer League, and September workouts as the quickest path for rookie impact. The 20-year-old features a near 7-foot-1 wingspan, a 239-pound frame, strong hands, lateral quickness, and scheme versatility. College metrics included 1.5 steals and 1.3 blocks per game and a large on/off defensive rating swing. Summer League production mirrored those numbers while rebounding. Competition for minutes and Murray-Boyles' physical maturation remain factors to monitor.
Read at Raptors Republic
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