Jamison Battle deserves all the praise he can get. The Raptors took a chance on him as an older, undrafted prospect from the 2024 class, and when Toronto needed an offensive spark, Battle proved he was more than capable of knocking down the three. Battle finished his rookie campaign averaging solid stats: 7.1 points on 42.9% shooting, a stellar 40.5% from three, 88.9% from the free-throw line, and 2.7 rebounds.
Battle is not quite the do-it-all forward like his Raptors rookie teammate Jonathan Mogbo, but as I mentioned earlier, Battle's ability to shoot from beyond the arc became his calling card (attempting 4.4 three-point shots per game in his rookie year). In fact, I even wrote during the season that Battle cemented himself as the draft class leader in three-point percentage, which, despite the perceived weak talent pool, is an undeniable distinction he should hold proudly.
And now as I think about the upcoming 2025-26 Raptors season, I can't help but feel that the window of opportunity for Jamison Battle to shine has closed a bit tighter than it was in his rookie season (and that was with Battle on a two-way contract for a majority of the time). The Raptors' roster construction is widely seen as a little clunky and confusing, but knowing the talent Toronto has, there is an abundance of depth and players who can warrant minutes right from the start.
Can Jamison Battle hold on to his spot with the Raptors?
Just consider this: Collin Murray-Boyles, the Raptors' recent lottery pick, showed in Summer League that his defense and versatility might be too good to ignore, making it hard to justify leaving him out of the rotation.
In all honesty, there are 13 guys on this roster who are all talented enough to play, but that's the thing, coach Darko Rajakovic already emphasized this at the end-of-season presser: the call in Toronto's locker room is to prove they’re worth minutes and stay ready for anything. Some players might see early action, or get run later in the season, but no pattern should make any Raptors player feel untouchable.
I'd argue that Battle has the edge over some others since he's already proven Toronto could greatly benefit from his three-point ability, but the real question is whether the Raptors' coaching staff believes that's truly enough. Perhaps the call is for Battle to become a more proven defender, and I don't necessarily see him as a negative on that end; he's lanky and capable of effort, but he's not quite quick enough to switch effectively.
This is the constant threat that lingers for many NBA players: as a new year approaches, new faces enter the mix and can eclipse you just as quickly as you made your presence felt. Battle is very skillful, and I like to think Toronto might prioritize his development over guys like Ochai Agbaji or Sandro Mamukelishvili, who are a bit more expendable, but nothing is certain, as Rajakovic mentioned.