Toronto Raptors add another player on Day 2 of NBA Draft
The Toronto Raptors are making another player’s dreams come true.
On Day 2 of the NBA Draft, the Raptors selected Alijah Martin from the University of Florida with the 39th overall pick.
A 2025 NCAA national champion, he averaged a career-high 14.4 points per game this past season. The first player to start in a Final Four for two different teams, he played four seasons at Florida Atlantic University before transferring to the Gators in 2024-25.
NBADraft.net describes Martin as a “seasoned, battle-tested guard who brings toughness, experience, and scoring punch to the table…plays with a chip on his shoulder and brings intangibles as a fierce competitor.”
What else have the Raptors done in the NBA Draft?
Thursday’s selection came a night after selecting Collin Murray-Boyles with the ninth overall pick.
A 6-foot-7 forward out of South Carolina, the Raptors’ front office was clearly happy with the selection, even if there was some buzz that his reaction appeared less-than-ideal.
“We had him higher than nine,” Raptors general manager Bobby Webster said. “I think the defensive stuff, versatility, you know, we’ve seen a lot of players here be successful in that role. And I think that was high on our list.”
The Raptors, who finished 11th in the Eastern Conference with an 30-52 record, seems to be taking the long approach with their new prospects.
“When you’re in a contending team situation, the guys you’re taking, you’d know you’re going to have the ability to kind of develop them in the background while your your main group is trying to, you know, get as deep in the playoffs as possible,” Tolzman told Offside. “There’s a little more runway with those guys to not be thrown into the mix right away. But that doesn’t change the fact that we’re still looking to draft the same players.”
More to come…