Toronto hasn't had a picturesque start to the 2025-26 season, but thankfully, the Raptors have been able to turn their fortunes around. After a four-game losing streak, they now have three straight wins and a .500 record at 4-4. While this is a promising uptick, it is far from enough to satisfy Raptors Nation. I’m sure they want to see this squad continue building momentum and project to the broader NBA audience that Toronto can be right back in the mix of things.
Though I’d bet that Toronto’s 2025 lottery selection, Collin Murray-Boyles, has been satisfying not only the Raptors fanbase but definitely those up in the organization’s front office as well. Drafted ninth overall this past June, I was certainly one of the critics who felt that Toronto should have addressed their more obvious positional need at center by selecting Duke’s Khaman Maluach instead.
Needless to say, in just the short 2025-26 season sample size, CMB has essentially shut down the debate over whether Toronto made the right call or not. He’s definitely made me eat my words, that’s for sure. While many assumed Maluach was the prototypical Raptors darling, what Murray-Boyles brings to the table might have also crossed the fan base's mind. This ultimately became the catalyst behind his eventual selection.
Collin Murray-Boyles is proving his worth to the Raptors — ahead of schedule
Murray-Boyles' shaky jump shot was a point of concern, but his quality defense and versatility should've stuck out as something to tantalize the Raptors. In essence, the Raptors added their own Draymond Green-lite in the making: someone who can defend positions one through five, grab boards, score at his own pace, and even find his teammates on the right plays. That was at least the expectation for his slow progression with the Raptors. However, as I mentioned earlier, the teeter-totter start to the year has already seen CMB emerge as a fundamental piece in the rotation.
While CMB was ultimately benched because he didn’t match up well against the Bucks' superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo in Toronto’s last outing, the most recent games have arguably marked a mini breakout for the 20-year-old.
CMB has had some huge games. One standout was his 19-point career-high against San Antonio on October 27, where he shot an impressive 3-for-5 from three-point range. Another strong performance came against Memphis on November 2, when he scored 15 points on 7-for-14 shooting, while also contributing nine rebounds, five assists, and three steals in that game.
What’s even more impressive is his willingness to add a three-point shot to his already impressive basketball skill set, even in small increments. He isn’t just chucking up needless threes, as that isn’t his bread and butter. However, as he showed against the Spurs and Rockets, he isn’t afraid to try it. He’s currently sinking 1.0 of his 2.3 three-point attempts per game and holds a stellar 42.9 percent from deep.
I don’t think CMB will remain in that territory forever, but if he can stay in the mid-30s by season’s end, that would be a great development. Coupled with the already promising storyline of Scottie Barnes’ three-point uptick, it would be something special for Raptors Nation to marvel at.
The point is, Collin Murray-Boyles can in fact do it all. It didn't take a year or two of developmental years to figure that out. CMB is more than ready to contribute now and in certain lineups, he has the potential to be a real difference-maker.