How Collin Murray-Boyles’ NBA rookie season compares with other Gamecock greats
Collin Murray-Boyles is one of the highest-drafted players ever from the South Carolina men’s basketball program. And he’s delivered in his rookie year, especially in the playoffs.
The Columbia native and Toronto Raptors forward is averaging 17 points and 7.3 rebounds in the first four games of the series against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
In Sunday’s 93-89 over the Cavs, Murray-Boyles had 15 points and 10 rebounds and became just the third Toronto rookie to have a double-double in the playoffs.
“He is unbelievable, man,” Toronto’s Scottie Barnes told ESPN reporter Jorge Sedano after the game. “His physicality, force and effort that he brings to every single game is unbelievable. We need him. He is amazing for us. Words can’t even explain what he is doing for this team right now.”
This comes after Murray-Boyles averaged 8.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 57 regular-season games for Toronto.
Murray-Boyles was taken as the ninth overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft by the Raptors and became the first South Carolina player selected in the lottery (top-14 selection) in the modern NBA Draft format that started in 1985. He was the third-highest-drafted Gamecock player ever behind Gary Gregor (eighth overall by Phoenix in 1968) and Tom Riker (eight overall by the Knicks in 1972).
Murray-Boyles’ rookie season in one of the better ones by former Gamecock players, even better than Hall of Famer Alex English’s first year with the Denver Nuggets. GG Jackson has the best year by a Gamecock rookie after he averaged 14.6 points and 4.1 rebounds in the 2023-24 season.
How former Gamecocks did in their NBA rookie season
A look at how some of the top Gamecock players did during their first season in the NBA (regular season stats only)
- GG Jackson, Memphis Grizzlies (2023-24): 14.6 pts, 4.1 reb, 1.2 assists
- Brian Winters, Phoenix Suns (1974-75): 11.7 pts, 2.9 assists, 2.0 reb
- Gary Gregor, Phoenix Suns (1968-69): 11.1 pts, 8.9 rebs
- Collin Murray-Boyles, Toronto Raptors (2025-26): 8.5 pts, 5.0 reb, 1.9 assists
- Cedrick Hordges, Denver Nuggets (1980-81): 8.4 pts, 6.7 reb
- Alex English, Milwaukee Bucks (1976-77): 5.2 pts, 2.8 reb
- Renaldo Balkman, New York Knicks (2006-07): 4.9 pts, 4.3 reb.
- Mike Dunleavy Sr., Philadelphia 76ers (1976-77): 4.1 pts, 1.8 assists
- Tom Owens, Houston Rockets (1976-77): 4.1 pts, 3.1 reb
- Sindarius Thornwell, Los Angeles Clippers (2017-18): 3.9 pts, 1.9 reb.
