Last Updated on July 19, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

Collin Murray-Boyles is a physical, high-IQ forward whose game revolves around strength, anticipation, defensive versatility and connective offense rather than highlight scoring. His ability to defend multiple actions, finish through contact and keep an offense flowing makes him one of the more unique frontcourt prospects of his class.

  • Full Name: Collin Joseph Murray-Boyles
  • Nickname: CMB
  • Nationality: American
  • Date of Birth: June 10, 2005
  • Hometown: Columbia, South Carolina, USA
  • Height: 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
  • Weight: 245 lb (111 kg)
  • Wingspan: 7 ft 0¾ in (2.15 m)
  • Shoe Size: N/A
  • Jersey Number:
    • #30 — South Carolina
    • #30 — Toronto Raptors
  • Position: Power Forward
  • High School: A.C. Flora High School (South Carolina); Wasatch Academy (Utah)
  • College: South Carolina
  • NBA Draft: 2025 — Round 1, Pick 9 — Toronto Raptors
  • Player Archetype: Defensive playmaking forward
  • Primary Offensive Role: Secondary playmaker, short-roll creator and interior finisher
  • Defensive Role: Multi-positional frontcourt defender and help-side rim protector
  • Play Style: Physical, cerebral, unselfish and connective; thrives through defense, screening, cutting and quick decision-making
  • Handedness / Shooting Hand: Left
  • Athletic Profile: Powerful frame, excellent balance, long wingspan, fluid lateral mobility and strong body control
  • Recruiting Status: Four-star recruit; No. 98 in the 2023 recruiting class
  • Draft Status Detail: One-and-done? N/A (Sophomore entrant); selected 9th overall in the 2025 NBA Draft by the Toronto Raptors
  • Injury Status Category: Durable — No significant long-term injuries documented
  • Career Stage: Early NBA career
  • Comparison Style: Defensive connector forward with point-forward traits
  • Comparable Players
    • Draymond Green — defensive quarterback and connective playmaker.
    • Paul Millsap — physical interior scorer with defensive versatility.
    • Boris Diaw — unselfish passing forward with high basketball IQ.
    • Jarace Walker — powerful forward who creates through defense and passing.
  • Strengths
    • Interior Finishing — Scores efficiently through strength and touch around the rim.
    • Defensive Versatility — Can switch across multiple frontcourt assignments.
    • Short-Roll Playmaking — Finds cutters and shooters quickly after screens.
    • Basketball IQ — Processes rotations and offensive reads rapidly.
    • Physical Strength — Creates leverage on both ends of the floor.
    • Help Defense — Rotates early to disrupt drives and protect the rim.
    • Offensive Rebounding — Generates extra possessions with positioning and timing.
  • Weaknesses
    • Perimeter Shooting — Outside jumper remains inconsistent.
    • Floor Spacing — Defenders may sag off him beyond the arc.
    • Positional Size — Undersized against traditional NBA centers.
    • Self-Creation — Limited isolation scoring repertoire.
    • Free-Throw Shooting — Needs greater consistency.
  • Signature Moves / Signature Skills
    • Short-Roll Playmaking — Creates quality looks after setting screens.
    • Power Drives — Finishes through contact with balance.
    • Help-Side Rotations — Arrives early to contest shots.
    • Strong-Hand Finishing — Converts efficiently around the basket.
    • Defensive Switching — Comfortable guarding multiple positions.
  • Legacy
    • Top-10 NBA Draft Pick — Established himself as one of the premier forwards in the 2025 draft class.
    • South Carolina Standout — Helped elevate the program with his all-around production.
    • Defensive Identity — Earned recognition for impactful, versatile frontcourt defense.
    • High-IQ Connector — Built a reputation as a forward who enhances team offense through passing and decision-making.
  • Teams Played For
    • South Carolina (2023–2025)
    • Toronto Raptors (2025–Present)
  • Championship Rings: None
  • Parents: N/A
  • Children: None
  • Siblings: N/A

The player archetype is a defensive playmaking forward who influences games through positioning, strength and quick decision-making rather than high-volume scoring. Murray-Boyles projects as a multi-positional defender capable of switching, rotating as a help defender and protecting the paint while serving offensively as a secondary creator, short-roll facilitator and efficient interior finisher, with his powerful frame, long reach and unselfish style making him an ideal fit alongside perimeter creators who can maximize his connective game.

Scouting Report

Collin Murray-Boyles doesn’t play like someone worried about fitting neatly into a position. He plays like he’s trying to solve whatever problem is directly in front of him. The interesting thing is how often he creates advantages without relying on polished isolation moves or volume shooting. He catches on the move, attacks the defender’s top foot, keeps the ball tight to his body and finishes through awkward angles because he’s comfortable absorbing contact instead of avoiding it. Give him the ball in a DHO or let him operate from the elbows and he’ll make quick decisions, slipping bounce passes to cutters when help arrives or spinning into open space before the defense can reset. His passing stands out because it comes from patience rather than flash; he waits for the low man to lean before releasing the ball instead of throwing predetermined reads. Defensively, that’s where his feel really shows up. He sees rotations developing early, slides into nail help without abandoning his assignment and contests with balance instead of chasing blocks that take him out of the play. Bigger centers with legitimate length can finish over him if they’re able to establish deep position, while long defenders who sag into the lane expose the biggest question in his offensive profile by daring him to consistently punish them from outside. The jumper doesn’t have to become the centerpiece of his game, but defenses have to believe it’s coming often enough to open driving lanes. To me, his best basketball will come next to guards who can bend defenses off the dribble, allowing him to function as a connective forward who screens, short-rolls, attacks rotating defenders and keeps possessions flowing with quick decisions rather than stopping them to hunt his own shot. There are elements of Paul Millsap in the way he manufactures offense through strength and timing, with flashes of Boris Diaw’s ability to read crowded floors a step ahead, and that’s a combination that tends to make teammates better even when the box score doesn’t immediately explain why.

Sources

Basketball Reference — Collin Murray-Boyles Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more
Sports Reference College Basketball — Collin Murray-Boyles College Stats
Reuters — Gamecocks F Collin Murray-Boyles declares for draft