Murray-Boyles makes Gamecocks’ history in the 2025 NBA Draft

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The 2025 NBA Draft took place about two weeks ago in Brooklyn, N.Y. at the Barclays Center on Wednesday, June 25 and Thursday, June 26. Gamecocks’ sophomore foward and Columbia, S.C. native Colin Murray-Boyles didn’t have to wait long to hear his name called on draft night. He was selected ninth overall by the Toronto Raptors and became the first ever South Carolina men’s basketball player to be a lottery pick in program history.

In addition, Murray-Boyles also was the first player selected in the first round since 2006, the 39th overall player drafted program history and just the ninth first round pick in program history.

Murray-Boyles averaged 16.8 points per game, 8.3 rebounds per game, 2.4 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.3 blocks in the 2024-25 season. He started in all 32 games for the Gamecocks’ last season and his performance landed him on Second Team All-SEC.

He led the team in points (538), rebounds (264), steals (47) and blocks (43) and was second in assists (77). He also 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.

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.

The no.9 pick will appear in his first NBA game in the NBA Summer League Las Vegas edition on Friday, July 10.