9. Drafted Jonathan Mogbo
10. Drafted San Francisco forward Jonathan Mogbo with the No. 31 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft
For a full breakdown of the Raptors' decision to draft San Francisco forward Jonathan Mogbo with the 31st pick in the draft, we went deep on the move here (and it wasn't pretty). Essentially, the Raptors put on blinders, ignored the talent on the board, and went with their pre-draft plan to draft Scottie Barnes' close friend.
That statement isn't meant to sell Jonathan Mogbo short; it's very possible he develops into a good NBA player. He has an exceptional motor and is consistenly flying all over the court, getting to rebounds and loose balls before the other team can react. He is undersized for a big man at 6'6" but can still finish well at the rim, and he has enough of a handle to get into the paint in advantage situations. Defensively, his 7'2" wingspan should allow him to defend multiple positions, and he is both heavy and strong enough to theoretically survive against opposing centers.
The problem is that even with all of those positives, Mogbo is a truly awful shooter, a necessary skill for him to survive offensively. He also showed an ability to finish in traffic and snatch rebounds and defend multiple positions against lower-level competition; he started playing in community colleges and only built to Division 1 to play at San Francisco. The size and athleticism of the NBA will be a massive adjustment, and he may never rise to the level of being an impact player.
Even if he does, his skillset is too similar to Barnes' for them to be likely to thrive together. Unless that 3-point shot goes from a massive liability to a real strength, Mogbo is hoping to be a backup for Toronto. With players with a clearer path to making a difference on the board, including a player we ranked 14th for the Raptors and who was an ideal fit next to Scottie Barnes in Kyle Filipowski, it was a painful pick. The Raptors needed to pivot away from their pre-draft plan and take the best player on the board, and instead they picked a player who likely won't reach the heights they want him to.
Grade: D