When the Raptors had the right to make the 31st selection in the 2024 NBA Draft, they would ultimately use that pick to add Jonathan Mogbo.
Mogbo was an athletic, defensively sound forward with undersized center abilities, who possessed a diverse skillset capable of stuffing the stat sheet. Well, everywhere but a consistent three-point shot, at least. This allure, as a very prototypical Masai Ujiri prospect, was even more magnified by this key Raptors connection — Jonathan Mogbo's close friendship with Scottie Barnes, which dates back to their childhood.
If you do a bit more digging into this story, you'll see that it was noted by people within the Raptors organization. However, Bobby Webster has said that he was unaware of how close their friendship actually is, and that the pick wasn’t made just to please Scottie Barnes. But let’s be honest — adding one of your best friends to the team is definitely going to give a major morale boost.
Whether the Raptors realized it or not, they placed a fair amount of trust in this pick. Even though it’s the second round, the 31st overall spot is still a prime landing spot for some notable talent, and Jonathan Mogbo got to be the guy at that position. Talented names like Kyle Filipowski, Ajay Mitchell, and Jaylen Wells were still available, but Toronto made a calculated risk by taking Mogbo, believing he could become a contributor for their future.
I never really expected Mogbo to become a massive piece for the Raptors, but after a solid rookie season that had flashes of double-double and triple-double brilliance — and plenty of that unique versatility — I figured it wouldn’t be long before he secured a solid spot in the young, blossoming Raptors bench.
But now we’re in the big 2026, as the kids might call it, and unfortunately for Raptors fans, Jonathan Mogbo is pretty much on the outside looking in at this point. Just a year after making a relatively strong first impression, it’s a tough pill to swallow.
Drafting Jonathan Mogbo hasn't paid dividends for the Raptors
I’ll admit, the emergence of Collin Murray-Boyles hasn’t done Mogbo any favors. The rookie CMB has basically taken over the spot Toronto probably wanted Mogbo to fill all along, so that didn’t help matters. It definitely shows when you look at Mogbo's averages for the 2025-26 campaign. He's played just 21 games, with an average of only 6.6 minutes — way down from his rookie season’s 20.4 minutes. His impact is minimal, averaging just 1.4 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 0.5 assists per game.
This is no longer the open Raptors experiment of letting the young guys get a ton of minutes to see what they can do. With their winning ways and renewed competitive edge, many of the Raptors' promising young players are starting to falter — just ask Gradey Dick and Ochai Agbaji.
Jonathan Mogbo is right there in the mix too. Although he's gotten some run as the team searches for size and depth at the center spot, most of Mogbo's work this year has been with the 905. He looked alright there, but it hasn't yet warranted more opportunities with the main roster. I honestly believe Mogbo will either be a trade candidate soon or he'll just ride out the rest of his rookie contract, sitting at the end of the Raptors' bench while others jump ahead of him for opportunities.