The Raptors have a real knack for finding small, tough guards who are cut from a different cloth, don't they? They've had the luxury of players like Fred VanVleet in the past, Jamal Shead nowadays, and I like to think it's not farfetched to expect the same from Alijah Martin.
Toronto selected Martin with the 39th pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, adding a hard-nosed defender with incredible leaping ability and national championship pedigree in his lone season at Florida. He’s been viewed as a tweener guard, since he doesn't stand out as a top-tier playmaker or a lights-out shooter (per se), so finding his role at the next level could pose some fine-tuning.
That said, I had the opportunity to chat with Benjamin Henderson, Site Expert at Hail Florida Hail of the FanSided Network. During our virtual interview, he assured me that Martin is the real deal and has promising potential.
In their last game against Boston on January 9, the Raptors put up a valiant effort despite a significant injury report — missing BI, Scottie B., and still without Jakob Poeltl — but ultimately lost 125-117. During the game, Alijah Martin got his first real taste of NBA minutes.
Raptors rookie Alijah Martin seizes his moment against the Celtics
Martin logged just over 15 minutes of playing time, during which he scored seven points on 3-for-7 shooting. He also contributed three assists, one rebound, and one block. While this stat line might not be the most glamorous, the eye test shows that Martin played hard and aimed to be impactful in pursuit of a winning effort.
He may have gone 1-for-5 from beyond the arc, but it's a positive that he took those shot attempts and gained valuable experience in live action. One of his three-pointers was the result of a chaotic play: after stumbling, he dished the ball to Immanuel Quickley, who quickly returned it to Martin for an open shot.
I think his three-point stroke looks smooth and NBA-ready. I personally saw it in action last month when I watched Martin explode for the Raptors 905 against the Capital City Go-Go, where he scored 32 points, including going 5-for-9 from beyond the arc. Looking back at his college days, Martin boasts a career three-point percentage of 36.4%, and there’s good reason to believe this skill will continue to develop at the next level.
And his other standout moment in the game came off a Raptors jump ball, where Martin caught it and dashed down the court for an emphatic dunk, posterizing the Celtics' defensive ace Derrick White. The rookie stared him down immediately afterward, and it looked like White cracked a little smile too. If you know Martin and his time at Florida, that picture of him leaping for a sky-high dunk against Auburn is legendary around those parts, and the Raptors got a great glimpse of that ability in this game.
Raptors insider Josh Lewenberg noted on X that Alijah Martin’s timing with the team has limited his opportunities to be a consistent rotation player. With limited opportunities to play significant guard minutes behind IQ and Jamal Shead, the chance for Martin to shine has been relatively scarce.
However, based on his G League sample and this sneak preview against Boston, whether the Raptors decide to unleash their next hidden gem now or find a role for him in the future, you can be sure that Alijah Martin will deliver. He might be a five-year college vet and a bit older than his rookie contemporaries, but I believe it's only a matter of time before his opportunity to become a regular rotation player finally arrives — his skill set seems to lend itself to NBA longevity anyhow.