Summer League success reinforces Raptors' trust in this promising center

When Duke big man Khaman Maluach was still on the board at the 9th overall selection in the 2025 NBA Draft, it seemed like a match made in heaven for the Raptors to be all over that pick.

For months, the rumors pointed to Maluach's seamless fit in the Masai Ujiri system, as an African prospect, and overall, addressing a major issue blatantly missing from the Raptors' identity ... that being a sense of youth and upside at the center position.

And while those like myself saw it as easy to view Maluach as the quick and simple solution to those problems, this year's Summer League is highlighting an even brighter young player in Ulrich Chomche. Chomche is reinforcing the idea that Toronto already has their project big man of the future, which likely contributed to the allure of Maluach fading in favor of the Raptors' eventual selection, stout defender Collin Murray-Boyles.

Toronto has been taking care of business in Vegas with sheer dominance, backed by their roster that is undoubtedly the best crop of talent to grace Summer League in Raptors history. They've amassed a perfect 3-0 record thus far and are scheduled for their final matchup in the initial four-game format against the Golden State Warriors tonight.

While wings like Ja'Kobe Walter and AJ Lawson have been in the spotlight, this year's Summer League has also given Raptors Nation and the basketball audience an added glimpse into the prospects of 19-year-old big man Ulrich Chomche. Chomche was ruled out in late February with a "partial proximal MCL tear in his right knee," and his recovery process was focused on a Summer League return.

And it's safe to say Chomche has been easing back into game speed quite well in Vegas.

Just look at this sequence from the youngster in Toronto's last Summer League outing against Denver on July 15, clip courtesy of @NBA on X:

Raptors have a strong building block in Ulrich Chomche

Here's a kid who has barely hit his stride as a full-fledged player, yet with the versatile skillset he was able to display (like in the example above), Chomche uses his imposing size to anchor the defense. He showed no fear as a big man to bolt down the court with the ball in his hands, and while he could have maneuvered to finish the possession with a dunk attack, he demonstrated the trademark Raptors unselfishness by finding Murray-Boyles for a more efficient play, resulting in the CMB open dunk.

Sure, you can say what you will about it just being Summer League, and sometimes those who look like stars of tomorrow at the showcase don't necessarily keep that wave going consistently. But I think it's safe to assume that the Raptors' front office is absolutely impressed with Chomche's development ... and this is only the beginning.

In fact, in the Raptors' first two Summer League games against the Bulls and Magic, Chomche recorded five stocks (steals plus blocks) respectively. If Toronto's staff can carefully mold and bring out the best in Chomche as he embarks on this developmental stage of his Raptors journey, I have no doubt he'll be a focal point in the rotation in a couple years (no need to rush either, I stress that taking time is extremely beneficial) ... making that initial worry about finding a talented young center less of a concern.