Despite my objections, the Toronto Raptors ultimately settled on Collin Murray-Boyles with the ninth overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
However, just as CMB heard his name called and stood up in preparation to step on stage, his initial reaction sparked some controversy among members of Raptors Nation. On the broadcast, Murray-Boyles was seen shaking his head and letting an F-bomb slip, all while hugging his loved ones with a smile on his face.
The initial response I posted on social media, as I mentioned in my direct reaction to the draft pick, didn’t sit well with a good portion of Raptors Nation. To be fair, it’s easy to look at a young kid who had an F-bomb slip on live television and assume he’s ungrateful or a primadonna.
Collin Murray-Boyles' draft reaction raises eyebrows on social media
I’m not entirely sure what CMB meant by it; I think that depends on how you interpret the use of that notorious expletive. Let’s not forget, Zach LaVine had a similar reaction to his Timberwolves selection back in 2014, and he still suited up for Minnesota regardless.
We might need to play devil's advocate in situations like this and consider that it could simply be shocked youngsters finally taking in the moment of hearing their names called on the biggest stage.
It seems the Raptors' social media admins took note of this initial reaction and responded by posting the following on their X page to help ease some of the backlash:
CHEESIN’ https://t.co/0UHaDk2jdO pic.twitter.com/yMrRLU8NXy
— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) June 26, 2025
Furthermore, Raptors reporter Josh Lewenberg highlighted this point about CMB's reaction in his own X post, adding another layer of clarity to the controversy:
Cameras caught Collin Murray Boyles dropping an F-bomb when he was drafted. He clarifies: "Just disbelief. Toronto is the first team that I worked out for. What I said was not a bad thing. Just very thankful. That was a surreal moment. This organization has a good history"
— Josh Lewenberg (@JLew1050) June 26, 2025
Now, it's definitely up for debate whether you think this is merely the Raptors saving face — especially since they seemed to scramble to get this point across through multiple posts. However, I understand why they felt the need to do so; this could potentially be a misunderstanding of enormous proportions. I might have my reservations about the CMB pick, but the last thing this organization wants is for the casual Raptors audience to see that initial reaction and base their entire assessment of Murray-Boyles solely on that.
The reality is, this is the player Toronto's front office deemed best for the Raptors, and the fanbase will need to give Collin Murray-Boyles a chance... myself included.