Toronto Raptors 2025 NBA Mock Draft Roundup 2.0

Maluach is an imposing presence in the paint and was a fantastic finisher around the rim during his lone season at Duke. He impacted the game defensively despite only averaging 1.3 blocks per game. Maluach still needs time to develop, but going to Toronto would be a great situation for him.

Queen set the Maryland freshman scoring record (594 points) after registering 12 20-point games and 15 double-doubles. He is a tremendous competitor and showed throughout the year his ability to affect games on the defensive end, with his activity, instincts and 7-foot wingspan. He struggled a bit in the 3-point shooting drills at the combine and will need to improve to show teams he can space the floor. However, the Big Ten Freshman of the Year still brings a lot to the court that should intrigue teams in this range.

With Jakob Poeltl potentially hitting free agency next year, the Raptors could use a long-term answer at center. Many people around the league have connected Duke center Maluach here because of his time at the NBA Academy in Africa and Masai Ujiri's efforts to promote basketball within the region. It's a connection that makes a ton of sense now with the Raptors sliding back to No. 9.

Maluach isn't a monster shot-blocker, but he understands how big he is and is excellent at using his size to cut off angles and contest on the interior. Offensively, there are more questions, largely about his hands and overall feel for the game. He got to basketball a bit late and is still working on how to see the floor around him. He also doesn't always seem to come down with contested rebounds, as was starkly seen in Duke's Final Four game against Houston, when he played 20 minutes and had zero rebounds. Still, someone will take the bet on a player who's 7-2 with long arms and real movement skills.

Pro Comparisons: Jerami Grant

Big scoring outputs are becoming more common for Noa Essengue in the German BBL.

The easy baskets off rim runs, cuts and offensive rebounds have been consistent all season. But he's looking more comfortable converting off self-created drives and knocking down rhythm threes.

His improving on-ball skill and rising offensive production are becoming notable draft storylines, considering he's the draft's second-youngest prospect who also offers exciting defensive tools and movement.

Team Fit: Essengue already feels pretty Raptors-y. He's young, long and athletic, and he should shine in the open floor and do some interesting things on defense. He's also a work-in-progress shooter who lacks polish offensively. —Zach Buckley, NBA Analyst

Scouting report: Murray-Boyles has been of interest to NBA teams for the past couple of seasons, with his statistical profile holding strong appeal in analytics models and the eye test backing much of that performance. Though undersized for his position, his toughness, play finishing, passing and defensive chops are attractive.

Teams will be particularly eager to see how Murray-Boyles shoots in workout settings, with the 3-point shot not yet a regular part of his arsenal but a key swing skill in his development. There is plug-and-play appeal in the things he already does well. -- Woo

NBA intel and fit: Toronto has begun to shift out of its multiyear rebuild, as signaled by the acquisition of Brandon Ingram at the February trade deadline. Scottie Barnes remains the team's primary cornerstone, and this pick gives the Raptors one more opportunity to swing on a top-10 talent before potentially upping the ante and pushing for a playoff berth moving forward.

Murray-Boyles would give them a true power forward who would enhance lineups defensively on a roster otherwise full of scorers. -- Woo

Tre Johnson is built for buckets. Texas' freshman shooting guard led the SEC in scoring by putting up about 20 points per game on an impressive array of dagger jumpers. He has an elite shooting profile as a high volume (224 attempts) and highly accurate (39.7 percent) three-point shooter who also has fantastic touch (87 percent) from the free throw line. Johnson is weapon off set plays with an ability to sprint around screens and knock down shots. He plays with a fiery demeanor and a competitive edge that should be appealing to teams, but he's still learning how to make the right reads on the floor. Johnson isn't a mega athlete attacking the basket, and his passing vision is pretty basic to this point. He can be engaged at the point of attack defensively, but he's not a major defensive playmaker off the ball. Johnson will go as far as his jump shot takes him, and with one of the prettiest shooting strokes in this class, that's an enticing enough bet for a top-10 selection.

The Raps were one of the least efficient pick-and-roll teams in the NBA last season, and Jakucionis can certainly help in that area. As the college season wore on, injuries and a loss of confidence had an effect on the freshman. But that may distract from the headline of Kasparas's case: Illinois ran a fantastic offense last season, and that's largely a credit to this 18-year-old. He's shown enough to prove he can be an additive creative force on the floor, with a scoring punch that surpasses that of other big playmakers in this class, such as Hugo Gonzalez or Egor Demin. The odds are that his entire career will probably float in that "extra creator" space because of the questions about his scoring consistency and ability to take care of the ball.

Jakucionis is a connective piece who projects as a point guard and has good size and finishing ability. He'll need to round out his game to become a weapon off-ball.

Maluach is a towering rim protector with switchable mobility, erasing shots at the rim and shadowing quick guards on the perimeter. In the long term he could be the anchor of the Raptors' defense. But beyond dunking lobs, he's a work in progress on offense with a lack of seasoning as a screener, shooter and creator. He also grabbed zero rebounds in his final game at Duke. Such a raw skill set should come as no surprise since the South Sudan native didn't start playing basketball until he was 13. Patience could pay off for the Raptors though.

After selecting Maluach in the lottery, it wouldn't hurt to add a wing to the roster like Byrd. At San Diego State, Byrd made a tremendous statistical impact turning defense into offense on a regular basis. But he's got a loose handle and a shaky jumper, making him more of a raw project with a lot to prove. The Raptors should be the type of team willing to take a swing on him, given they aren't in a win-now situation.