It’s been a great week for the Toronto Raptors organization. First, Immanuel Quickley's sensational stretch was rewarded with the NBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week award. Not long after that news dropped, the 2026 NBA Rising Stars list was announced, and wouldn’t you know it, the Raptors found themselves included in those conversations as well.
Toronto's ninth overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, Collin Murray-Boyles, was listed in the rookie talent pool. Meanwhile, their 45th overall selection, Alijah Martin, who has been tearing it up with the Raptors 905, made the NBA G League pool.
Collin Murray-Boyles and Alijah Martin named 2026 NBA Rising Stars
However, one notable absence that Raptors fans might not take kindly to is Jamal Shead's exclusion from the NBA sophomores. Raptors Nation can attest to Shead’s brilliance this season, even if his on-paper numbers don’t fully reflect his high-impact, winning contributions. Be that as it may, the 23-year-old did not make the cut, which is definitely a minor gut punch for Raptors fans given this otherwise positive news. But whether he’s selected for Rising Stars or not, the fact remains that Toronto has an absolute stud in Jamal Shead.
Rewinding to the two actual Raptors selections, I’ll start with the ultra-impressive rookie Collin Murray-Boyles. To say that CMB has wowed me beyond belief — especially compared to the wave of red flags I thought he posed pre-draft — is an understatement.
I’ve been proven wrong in almost every regard. CMB isn’t posting blow-away numbers on paper, but like Jamal Shead, he's done a ton to prove his worth to winning basketball: 7.8 points on a solid 53.6% shooting, 34.9% from three (albeit a small sample), 5.1 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and close to a steal per game (0.9) in an average of 21.5 minutes.
Toronto lost the luxury of having CMB in the lineup after a thumb injury sustained against the Lakers on January 18. He has missed the last four games, but the Raptors have posted a perfect 4-0 record during that span. The hope is that he can return to the court and game speed as soon as the Raptors' next tilt against New York on January 28, where he is currently listed as questionable at the time of writing.
As for Alijah Martin, he's another player who exhibits a winning attitude despite his limited main roster appearances as a two-way contract at present. Raptors fans have seen glimpses of his potential with the increased minutes he received at the start of January — to which I labeled him the Raptors' possible next best-kept-secret. However, much of his mastery has been done in the G League, where he’s averaged 19.3 points on 50.2% shooting, 39.5% from three, along with 4.2 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.3 steals in 22 games played for the 905.
Earlier tonight, the 2026 Castrol Rising Stars team rosters were announced, with NBA greats Carmelo Anthony and two familiar faces around these parts, Tracy McGrady and Vince Carter, selecting their respective teams. Murray-Boyles was named to Team Melo as the 19th overall pick in that draft process. Meanwhile, the G League players, including Alijah Martin, make up a preset squad coached by former NBA player and current analyst Austin Rivers.
Whenever the Raptors organization sees one of their own, let alone two, given the platform to cement Toronto’s reputation for finding quality talent, it’s a win-win. Now, it’s up to these two young players to prove just as impactful at the Rising Stars event as they’ve been for the Raptors and 905, in Martin’s case.