On a night where incoming NBA rookies cried, hugged their families and dreamed of the glory to come, Collin Murray-Boyles reacted to his first-round selection in the 2025 NBA Draft with an F-bomb.
Murray-Boyles, 20, went No. 9 overall to the Toronto Raptors, and when NBA commissioner Adam Silver called out his name, the forward out of South Carolina, let out a simple, "f***."
While many took it to mean he was disappointed by the selection, Murray-Boyles attempted to clear up any confusion in his post-draft press conference.
"Just disbelief," he said. "Toronto is the first team that I worked out for. What I said was not a bad thing. Just very thankful. That was a surreal moment. This organization has a good history."
The Raptors won the 2019 NBA championship and have won seven division crowns in their 30-year history. Though the franchise has fallen on hard times and has back-to-back losing seasons, which landed them in the draft lottery in the first place, it has a rabid fanbase in a city that values basketball.
"I'm super excited," he continued. "I know how passionate the fans are, how diverse the city of Toronto is. To see that and to be around that environment on a daily basis is something that is going to make me a better player. That environment is amazing, the city is great."
Collin Murray-Boyles and girlfriend Chloe Kitts Sarah Stier Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images
General manager Bobby Webster also confirmed that Murray-Boyles did not know he was about to be picked. Often, a team will give a player a heads up shortly before his name comes off the board, but Toronto took Murray-Boyles by surprise.
"We don't tell the player. A lot of teams will tell the players that they're getting picked and so I don't think he knew," he said. "I think it was truly a reaction to it happening. Maybe we should leak to them more."
Murray-Boyles wasn't the only South Carolina basketball star in attendance on Wednesday. He was seated at his table with his girlfriend, Gamecocks women's basketball player Chloe Kitts. Kitts, 20, won a national championship with South Carolina in 2024 and followed that up by being named SEC Tournament MVP in 2025 as her team again advanced to the Final Four.
The two shared a hug after Murray-Boyles' name was called and Kitts later shared a photo of herself via her Instagram stories wearing his Raptors draft night hat.
Kitts likely has a pro career ahead of her as well. Kitts will be eligible for the 2026 WNBA Draft, and early mock drafts have her as a first-round selection.
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