When the NBA All-Defensive teams were announced, many Raptors fans and even some general basketball analysts were certainly a bit baffled to see Scottie Barnes left off the First Team honors. That leading class consisted of Victor Wembanyama, Chet Holmgren, Ausar Thompson, Rudy Gobert, and perhaps the most surprising in place of Barnes, Derrick White.
Meanwhile, Barnes was part of the Second Team alongside Cason Wallace (a possible Raptors target?), Bam Adebayo, OG Anunoby, and Dyson Daniels. Scottie Barnes may not have gotten the top All-Defense honors this year, but if he continues this trajectory and the Raptors as a team take their next leap, then there is no debating that No. 4 will leave no stone unturned to be recognized as a top defender in this league.
But while Toronto revels in the defensive greatness of Scottie Barnes, we can't forget about the Raptors' other defensive dynamo, who also looks poised to be an equally strong defender for years to come. That player in question is, of course, Collin Murray-Boyles.
Collin Murray-Boyles possesses First Team All-Defense potential
Murray-Boyles, in his own right, would earn All-Rookie Second Team honors when that list was announced. Like his star leader missing the premier list, it was a bit of a letdown that CMB didn't secure a spot with the All-Rookie First Team, although, it was a tight race all things considered. Nevertheless, this achievement was the culmination of what was a highlight storyline for the Raptors, after jumping at the opportunity to select Murray-Boyles at ninth overall in last year's NBA Draft.
CMB shed the concerns and rookie learning curve questions almost immediately upon his entrance to the pros. His rookie campaign may have been marred by some injury setbacks, but when he was healthy, Murray-Boyles was a very important component to the Raptors' winning success.
His stout defense showed many glimpses throughout the regular season, and in the playoffs, that element of his game was on full display for the mainstream audience to observe. Murray-Boyles surprised many as a key driver in the Raptors 2026 postseason run, where he was the team's third-leading scorer (at 14.4 PPG), along with 1.3 steals and 1.1 blocks.
In a recent "Raptors Offseason" special edition of the Game Theory Podcast, hosts Sam Vecenie and Bryce Simon would discuss Murray-Boyles, where they praised the soon-to-be 21-year-old on his quick ascent and defensive upside. Simon said (YouTube link here): "Collin Murray-Boyles was a guy in the pre-draft process, Sam, but I was like, "Okay, what's this look like in the NBA? Can you figure out the offense?" All of that. Ultimately, what he's shown is that you can, and that the defense is so good, it may not matter. Like, he's just so good on the defensive end."
Simon went on to add, speaking on Barnes' snub from the All-Defensive First Team and turning it to the youngster's potential: "Collin Murray-Boyles, I think, is a guy that will eventually get there."
Having Barnes is already a luxury, but pairing him with a ball of energy like Collin Murray-Boyles on defense creates a disruptive duo, even if the offense is still a work in progress. For a team that values two-way impact, it’s not bold to assume, as the guys at Game Theory suggested, that CMB will also find himself in All-Defense discussions, just like Scottie Barnes.
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