The 2025 NBA Draft Lottery was a whirlwind, and while it proved to be the ultimate payoff for some teams, unfortunately for the Toronto Raptors, they were not among the winners.
Masai Ujiri represented the team at the lottery and when their name was called for the ninth overall selection, the ever-optimistic head honcho didn’t show much of a reaction on the broadcast. I totally understand, though—like I mentioned in my recent draft lottery pieces, the ninth pick after a tough season isn’t exactly something to celebrate with a hat toss in the air.
The Raptors get the 9th pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Not much of a reaction from Masai Ujiri. pic.twitter.com/oxWoiiIm0c
— Libaan Osman (@libaanstar1) May 12, 2025
But you can't judge Ujiri solely based on how he appeared on air. The Raptors president later issued a statement expressing his confidence in still making the most of the ninth pick, citing Toronto’s history of uncovering hidden gems late in the draft.
Masai Ujiri highlights past Raptors late draft gems after wild draft lottery reveal
Basketball reporter Libaan Osman shared a quote from Ujiri on X after Monday evening’s festivities in Chicago, where he said:
"Tracy McGrady. DeMar DeRozan. Jakob Poeltl. We’ll be fine. I guarantee you we’ll be fine."Masai Ujiri
The three players Ujiri mentioned—McGrady, DeRozan, and Poeltl—highlight Toronto's track record of selecting talented players at the ninth spot in past drafts, with McGrady chosen in 1997, DeRozan in 2009, and Poeltl in 2016.
McGrady's tenure in Toronto was cut short and arguably robbed the franchise of a potential dynasty, especially what could've been a dynamic prime duo with Raptors great Vince Carter, his cousin. However, "T-Mac" would still eventually go on to have a legendary career.
DeRozan's journey with the Raptors was definitely more impactful, as he became the franchise cornerstone for years until his tenure ended abruptly with a blockbuster trade for Kawhi Leonard, which directly led to Toronto's first NBA title. Nonetheless, DeRozan has cemented himself in Raptors history as one of the franchise's all-time greats, even if his name remains polarizing among fans.
Poeltl's mention caught some by surprise on social media, as he doesn't carry the same stardom as McGrady or DeRozan. Still, as a late lottery pick and having played two stints with the team, the Austrian big man has proven to be a reliable anchor down low and continues to be a key figure in the Raptors' system.
Like the saying often goes in Raptors Nation, "In Masai We Trust."
But I can also understand why some might see this expression of optimism as just another coping mechanism for a franchise that either always gets the short end of the stick or simply doesn’t quite get the most desirable outcome, especially when their methods to reach such goal could have been handled better.
I see both sides of the argument here. Let’s be honest—ending up with the ninth pick was one of the worst possible outcomes for Toronto in the draft lottery. But at the end of the day, it is what it is. I wouldn’t expect Ujiri to come out and say, "This sucks," or make any similar defeated remarks; he’ll have to take this sour pill in stride.
For now, at least, this shift from seventh to ninth place is just another example of adversity that Ujiri might need to navigate carefully, weighing the best available talent that could give Toronto a decent boost. However, as I mentioned in another piece, these events also serve as a call to action for Ujiri to consider trading this pick—whether as part of a package to acquire a star on the move or to try and move higher in the draft.