The Toronto Raptors are approaching the territory of having an embarrassment of riches. It's a strange sentence to write about a team that's currently 30-50, but Toronto has built a roster that's flush with high-level up-and-coming talent, primarily along the wings.
The rich keep on getting richer, as Toronto looks like it may have found the biggest steal of the 2024 NBA Draft in rookie standout Jonathan Mogbo.
Toronto selected Mogbo at No. 31 overall in the 2024 NBA Draft. It was an ambitious selection, as the 23-year-old lacked significant exposure to the highest level of collegiate competition having played at smaller programs than the average prospect.
Mogbo has been impressive during his rookie season, however, proving capable of contributing in every phase of the game.
Mogbo's contributions have translated to the box score in recent games, as the rookie has produced his best NBA showings to date from a statistical perspective. While some might suggest that said production has led to an overinflation of his value, it's actually acted to highlight his hidden strengths.
A positionally versatile player who could help address Toronto's interior questions in a modern manner, Mogbo is quietly revealing his tremendous upside.
Jonathan Mogbo proving Raptors were right to gamble on him
Mogbo is currently posting averages that translate to 11.0 points, 8.6 rebounds, 3.0 offensive boards, 3.8 assists, 1.5 steals, and 0.9 blocks per 36 minutes. Those numbers accurately reflect his ability to make plays from every angle of the court, whether with or without the ball.
Mogbo has proven as much in recent weeks, utilizing an increase in playing time to stuff the stat sheet and help Toronto produce a surprising string of positive team results.
Mogbo is averaging 10.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.2 offensive boards, 4.2 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.7 blocks in 28.1 minutes per game over his past 10 appearances. He's scored in double-figures in five of those outings, pulled down 10-plus boards in four, and even ripped off a triple-double.
The latter occurred during Mogbo's most recent showing, when he tallied 17 points, 11 assists, 10 rebounds, and three steals in a win over the Charlotte Hornets.
It was Mogbo's second consecutive game with 17 points and a healthy combination of additional statistics. In the previous outing, he tallied 17 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists, two blocks, and two steals against the Brooklyn Nets. In other words: He flirted with a triple-double one night and then sealed the deal the next time out.
While they were certainly his best performances to date, Mogbo has been building to an increase in production—and has now revealed just how significant his potential is.
Listed at 6'9" and 225 pounds with a 7'2" wingspan, Mogbo has all of the tools to become an impact player for Toronto. He's split his minutes between the 4 and the 5 in 2024-25, proving to have value as a small-ball center and in more traditional sets—relative to the Raptors' inherently wing-heavy approach.
If Mogbo can develop a more reliable outside shot, he could become the complete package who acts as the glue to a team that's certainly not short on talent.