When the Toronto Raptors selected Collin Murray-Boyles with the ninth pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, the reaction around the league was mixed. No one doubted Murray-Boyles’ athleticism or defensive versatility, but concerns about his shooting and ball-handling led many to question the fit. Those were precisely the weaknesses Toronto appeared eager to address after recent seasons.
46 games into the season, Murray-Boyles has already proven his doubters wrong about the immediate impact he could provide at the NBA level.
Collin Murray-Boyles has been critical to the Raptors’ success
Rookies often receive praise for flashing potential, even when their first-year impact is mostly theoretical. The conversation around Murray-Boyles has been different. He has played a critical role in Toronto’s overachieving season.
Murray-Boyles has appeared in 37 games, starting 13 of them, including the last nine he has played. His importance has grown alongside Toronto’s need for frontcourt physicality, especially with starting center Jakob Poeltl battling injuries throughout the year.
Through the first 30 games, Toronto went 17-13 (.567) but ranked just 23rd in rebounding. While the Raptors were exceeding expectations, they were consistently exposed by larger, more physical opponents. A large reason for this was that Poeltl, despite playing in 21 of the team’s 30 games, was clearly not healthy.
Poeltl last played on December 21st. Since then, Murray-Boyles has largely stepped into that interior role. In the 16 games since, Toronto has gone 10-6 (.625) and ranks 13th in the league in rebounding. Every minute Murray-Boyles plays brings a level of physicality and athleticism that no one on the roster, except Scottie Barnes, can truly provide.
And Collin Murray-Boyles is only getting better…
Murray-Boyles’ improvement has shown up in tangible, measurable ways over the course of the season.
Through his first 30 games, Murray-Boyles averaged 17.7 minutes, 6.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game, with efficient 55.6%/44.8%/60.6% shooting splits. Since stepping into a larger role, his minutes have jumped to 29.4 per game, along with 9.7 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 3.1 assists. The three-point percentage has dipped, but that trade-off has come with increased rebounding, playmaking, and defensive responsibility — all of which better reflect his role on this roster.
The impact shows up beyond the box score. Murray-Boyles frequently guards the opponent’s biggest player and often gives up size, yet his strength, timing, and effort allow him to make a positive impact. He wins loose balls, battles for rebounding position, and consistently makes the type of plays that are rare from a rookie big.
Earlier this season, my Raptors Rapture colleague Amos C. Mina and I discussed potential trade targets on the Bleav in Raptors podcast. We both agreed Toronto should pursue an athletic center, but CMB's emergence has forced me to reassess.
With the way he is playing, Collin Murray-Boyles has effectively filled a roster need that once looked urgent. Instead of desperately chasing frontcourt depth at the trade deadline, Toronto might now have the flexibility to address other areas. His impact and development have been central to the Raptors’ early-season success, and his emergence has quietly reshaped their roster priorities.