With the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery 10 days away, there’s only one player on the minds of 14 teams – Cooper Flagg – the unanimous first-overall pick. The Philadelphia 76ers are one of those teams, but with only a 10.5% chance to land the number one selection, they’ll have to broaden their horizons.
Flagg, Dylan Harper, and Ace Bailey are the established top three prospects – meaning that if Philadelphia’s 2025 first-round pick falls out of that top-three range, its path forward is unclear. Still, there’s an intriguing prospect that may not be the same caliber as those mentioned but could be the missing piece for the 76ers.
Collin Murray-Boyles' Strengths and weaknesses
While he doesn’t possess the explosiveness of V.J. Edgecombe or the flash of Tre Johnson, Collin Murray-Boyles has the potential to be one of the best two-way front-court players in late-lottery range. Murray-Boyles is entering the 2025 NBA Draft after spending two seasons with the South Carolina Gamecocks where he earned a spot on the SEC All-Freshman Team and most recently, 2024-25 All-SEC honors.
Murray-Boyles is coming off a sophomore campaign where he posted 16.8 points per game on 58.6% shooting from the field, 8.3 rebounds per game, 2.4 assists per game, 1.5 steals per game, and 1.3 blocks per game. Coming in at 6’ 7 and 231 pounds, Murray-Boyles has received praise for being a versatile defender and an interior force offensively. In Yahoo Sports’ latest mock draft, the 19-year-old forward drew comparisons to the likes of Draymond Green, Paul Millsape, and Julius Randle.
Murray-Boyles’ size and athleticism allow him to make an impact on both ends. He’s a sound help defender with excellent IQ, especially when rotating from the weak-side to blow up pick-and-roll actions. Murray-Boyles has shown the ability to defend multiple positions and can switch off screens depending on the situation. Offensively, Murray-Boyles has potential as a roll-man where he can explode to the rim or make a short-roll pass. He also displayed glimpses of overpowering defenders off the dribble and making timely back-door cuts.
However, Murray-Boyles’ biggest weakness is perhaps why he’s generally viewed as a late-lottery prospect. The incoming rookie’s floor-spacing is a detriment at this point in his career as he shot 26.5% from beyond the arc on 1.1 attempts per game this past season. To reach his full potential, Murray-Boyles needs to become at least a league-average perimeter shooter, otherwise, he could get played off the floor in the postseason.
My verdict
Murray-Boyles would be a solid fit in Philadelphia because of his defensive prowess, rebounding, and connective skills. Besides Guerschon Yabusele, the 76ers lacked a traditional power forward after trading KJ Martin in February and Murray-Boyles undoubtedly fits the mold. Still, with his shooting limitations, he likely wouldn’t be more than a reserve with the 76ers. If Philadelphia acquires the fifth or sixth pick, there will likely be players available with better upside, so unless it trades down in the draft, it must look for better options.