BROOKLYN, N.Y. (South Carolina Athletics) - All-SEC sophomore forward Collin Murray-Boyles was selected No. 9 overall in the first round by the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night in the NBA Draft. He becomes the 39th player in program history picked in the NBA Draft and the first Gamecock selected in the first round since Renaldo Balkman was picked No. 20 overall by the New York Knicks in 2006.
He becomes the first South Carolina player selected in the lottery (top-14 selection) in the modern NBA Draft format (started in 1985). Murray-Boyles is the ninth first round NBA Draft choice in program history. He is the third-highest drafted Gamecock player ever behind only Gary Gregor (round one, pick eight overall by the Phoenix Suns in 1968) and Tom Riker (round one, pick eight overall by the New York Knicks).
CMB is the second player drafted under head coach Lamont Paris. Gregory “GG” Jackson II was selected 45th overall by Memphis in the second round in 2023. He would go on to earn 2023-24 NBA All-Rookie Second Team honors after averaging 14.6 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game.
Murray-Boyles enjoyed a stellar season for the Gamecocks in 2024-25, averaging 16.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.3 blocks per game. He started all 32 games and had a career-best 11, 20-point games and nine double-doubles en route to earning Second Team All-SEC honors and First Team NABC All-South Atlantic District distinction. He led the team in points (538), rebounds (264), steals (47) and blocks (43) and was second in assists (77).
Murray-Boyles was the first Gamecock since Jimmy Foster in 1983-84 (18.5 ppg, 9.4 rpg) to average at least 16.0 points and 8.0 rebounds per game.
Murray-Boyles was an efficient 58.6% (198-of-338) from the floor which led the SEC and ranked 21st nationally. He had five games this season with 10 or more makes from the floor, becoming the first Gamecock to accomplish the feat since Devan Downey did it nine times in 2009-10. Murray-Boyles had a stretch of four-straight games with 20 or more points the final month of the season (first Gamecock to do that since All-SEC guard AJ Lawson in 2021) highlighted by a career-high 35 points in a 72-53 win over Arkansas on March 1 at Colonial Life Arena.
In Power Five leagues (ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten & SEC), Murray-Boyles and Kansas’ Hunter Dickinson were the only players to average at least 16.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.0 blocks per game while shooting above 50.0%.
As a freshman in 2023-24, Murray-Boyles averaged 10.4 points, 5.7 rebounds (led team), 1.8 assists, 1.0 blocks and 1.0 steals per game while shooting 59.7% (117-of-196) from the floor (fourth-best single-season field goal percentage in program history). He earned Freshman All-SEC honors and helped the team to a 26-8 overall record and a 13-5 mark in SEC action, good for a T-2nd finish in the league. The Gamecocks tied the program record for single-season wins and made the team’s first appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 2017.
Murray-Boyles finished his Gamecock career averaging 13.8 points, 7.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.2 blocks per game in 60 career appearances in Garnet and Black. His career field goal percentage of 59.0% (315-of-534) is No. 2 all-time behind only Foster (shot 59.6% from 1981-84).
**South Carolina Men’s Basketball NBA Draft History**
YEAR
ROUND
PICK
PLAYER
TEAM
DRAFT TRADES
2025
1
9
Collin Murray-Boyles
Toronto Raptors
2023
2
45
Gregory “GG” Jackson II
Memphis Grizzlies
2017
2
48
Sindarius Thornwell
Milwaukee Bucks
MIL to LAC
2006
1
20
Renaldo Balkman
New York Knicks
1998
2
48
Ryan Stack
Cleveland Cavaliers
1994
2
47
Jamie Watson
Utah Jazz
1987
7
144
Michael Foster
Cleveland Cavaliers
1986
7
140
Duane Kendall
New York Knicks
1985
2
29
Mike Brittain
San Antonio Spurs
1984
5
102
Jim Foster
Kansas City Kings
1984
8
182
Brad Jergenson
Milwaukee Bucks
1981
3
51
Zam Fredrick
Los Angeles Lakers
1980
5
110
Mike Doyle
Atlanta Hawks
1980
9
184
Jim Graziano
Denver Nuggets
1979
3
49
Cedrick Hordges
Chicago Bulls
CHI to DEN
1979
7
135
Jim Strickland
New Jersey Nets
1978
6
111
Golie Augustus
New Jersey Nets
1978
7
148
Jack Gilloon
Denver Nuggets
1977
5
101
Nate Davis
Chicago Bulls
1976
2
23
Alex English
Milwaukee Bucks
1976
6
99
Mike Dunleavy, Sr.
Philadelphia Sixers
1975
1
17
Tom Boswell
Boston Celtics
1974
1
12
Brian Winters
Los Angeles Lakers
1973
1
11
Kevin Joyce
Golden State Warriors
1973
5
82
Danny Traylor
Washington Wizards
1972
1
8
Tom Riker
New York Knicks
1971
1
14
John Roche
Phoenix Suns
PHX to LAL
1971
4
58
Tom Owens
Houston Rockets
1971
8
129
John Ribock
Boston Celtics
1968
1
8
Gary Gregor
Phoenix Suns
1968
1
13
Skip Harlicka
St. Louis Hawks
1968
3
33
Jack Thompson
Washington Wizards
1968
13
169
Frank Standard
St. Louis Hawks
1967
4
32
Al Salvadori
Washington Wizards
1967
13
134
Lyn Burkholder
Washington Wizards
1965
8
67
Jim Fox
Cincinnati Royals
1962
5
42
Art Whisnant
Los Angeles Lakers
1957
5
40
Grady Wallace
Boston Celtics
1951
4
32
Jim Slaughter
Tri-Cities Blackhawks
MIL to BAL
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