Colin Murray-Boyles is heading north, as the Toronto Raptors selected the South Carolina Gamecock as their No. 9 overall pick. He is also the boyfriend of fellow South Carolina hooper Chloe Kitts, and he talked about her in his draft video, saying that she helped him grow as a basketball player. She was present with him on draft night.
“My girlfriend is Chloe Kitts,” said Murray Boyles. “Plays on the University of South Carolina women’s basketball team, and she has been a big part of my growth, especially over the last year.”
However, he also playfully chided her for claiming that she is better than him in basketball.
“She says she beat me, so she’s taking that and running with it,” he added in the video. “She knows and I know that she is not better than me.”
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Chloe Kitts was right there as the Murray-Boyles’ draft video played, wearing a red dress as he talked about her in front of the basketball world. She was sitting with his family at the same table and was seen hugging his mom as her boyfriend was selected by Toronto. He is now the first South Carolina player to be drafted in the lottery.
In drafting Murray-Boyles, the Raptors are getting one of the best defensive players in the draft. He averaged 16.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.3 blocks for the Gamecocks, making use of his long wingspan and high defensive IQ against his opponents.
As for Chloe Kitts, the Gamecocks forward averaged 10.2 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game for Dawn Staley’s squad. She was part of that 2024 national championship-winning team as well, and is the SEC Tournament MVP for 2025, deciding to stay with the Gamecocks for her senior year, rather than enter the WNBA draft.
Toronto Raptors are getting an inside specialist in drafting Collin Murray-Boyles
By selecting Murray-Boyles as their No. 9 overall pick in the NBA draft, the Toronto Raptors are seen to have significantly beefed up their frontline, and this is even though the former Gamecock is widely seen to be undersized as a power forward at 6’9.
Murray-Boyles has shown that he could score in the interior and use his seven-foot wingspan to become one of the most effective blockers in the SEC.
He has the brute strength to overpower defenders much taller than him, and he is also surprisingly quick, with some smooth footwork. He often also outmuscles rivals for the rebound. However, he does need to work on his shooting, as he lacks outside shooting.
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