Raptors’ Collin Murray-Boyles named to NBA All-Rookie team

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Collin Murray-Boyles’ rookie season with the Toronto Raptors got a little extra shine on Wednesday night.

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The 6-foot-7 forward was named to the NBA’s All-Rookie second team after a solid regular season that only got better in the playoffs despite the Raptors being edged in seven games to the Eastern Conference finalist Cleveland Cavaliers in the opening round.

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Murray-Boyles, the No. 9 pick in last year’s draft, joined Utah Jazz forward Ace Bailey, Sacramento Kings centre Maxime Raynaud and two New Orleans Pelicans – guard Jeremiah Fears and centre Derik Queen – on the second team.

The first team included Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (this year’s Rookie of the Year), Charlotte Hornets forward/guard Kon Knueppel, Philadelphia 76ers guard VJ Edgecombe, San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper and Memphis Grizzlies guard Cedric Coward.

Murray-Boyles, meanwhile, is the 13th player in Raptors franchise history to receive all-rookie honours and the first since Scottie Barnes made the first team and won Rookie of the Year in 2021-22.

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Rookie excelled in playoff loss to Cavs

The Columbia, S.C., native averaged 8.5 points, five rebounds, 1.9 assists and 21.9 minutes in 57 games, including 22 starts. He was even better in the playoffs, though, averaging 14.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists over 27.3 minutes per game and he still led all post-season performers in field-goal percentage (65.6) on Tuesday.

In the words of his teammate Barnes, the former South Carolina Gamecock is also a “helluva defender” after finishing the regular season fourth among rookies in blocks per game (0.93) and eighth in steals (0.91).

“We have the utmost trust in him,” Barnes told the Toronto Sun’s Ryan Wolstat during the playoff run. “He guarded me all pre-season and I know how well he guards. … We’re going to ride with CMB, he’s an amazing defender and our defence gets better when he’s on the floor.”

The All-Rookie teams were picked by a global media panel of 100 voters. Voters selected five players to the first team and five players to the second team regardless of position.

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