There weren’t 10 better rookies in the NBA this season than Collin Murray-Boyles. 

Anyone who watched him even peripherally could reach that conclusion. And that’s saying something, given that the 2025 draft class is giving every indication it will be one of the strongest and deepest in decades. 

But even in that group, there were not 10 rookies better than the Raptors' first-round pick. There were not 10 rookies who affected games on both ends more, who were more integral to a playoff team finding its identity, who were more able to elevate their own play even as the games got more meaningful. 

The NBA announced its all-rookie teams on Wednesday night, and if the voters didn’t get it exactly right, they at least didn’t get it wrong.

The first four for the first team were set in stone, the voting roughly reflecting the draft order, with the Dallas Mavericks' Cooper Flagg, Philadelphia 76ers guard VJ Edgecombe and Charlotte Hornets sharpshooter Kon Knueppel each earning all 100 first-team votes, and Dylan Harper of San Antonio getting 93.

After that, Memphis Grizzlies wing Cedric Howard — the 11th pick — rounded out the first team. 

Murray-Boyles was named to the second-team — the 13th Raptor to get all-rookie honours and the first since Scottie Barnes in 2021-22 — along with Ace Bailey (Utah), Maxime Raynaud (Sacramento) and New Orleans Pelicans freshmen Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen.

Murray-Boyles got eight first-team votes, the fewest among the 10 rookies recognized. As one of the voters, I had the Raptors' rookie on my first team, in place of Coward.

Regardless, the six-foot-seven front-court player from South Carolina deserved all-rookie recognition based on his regular season, even if it was........

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