The Raptors have used their first-round pick at No. 19 to draft forward Allen Graves.
Graves only started four of 35 games during his first and only college season, but he was a valuable reserve for Santa Clara, averaging 11.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.9 steals, and 1.8 assists in 22.6 minutes per contest. The 19-year-old also had a solid shooting line of .512/.413/.750 and won a pair of awards, having been named the WCC’s Freshman of the Year and Sixth Man of the Year.
Having decided to test the draft waters this spring, Graves wasn’t necessarily viewed as a first-round lock at the time he declared, but he improved his stock during the pre-draft process – despite displaying underwhelming athleticism during combine testing – and opted to forgo his remaining NCAA eligibility to go pro. Graves is an analytics darling who is said to have a good feel for the game on both sides of the ball.
A late riser in the draft process due in part to his strong analytical profile, Graves fits much of what Toronto tends to look for in their prospects, with good positional size, interesting passing ability, and defensive versatility.
He shot well this season from three, though it was on low volume, and there are still questions about his mechanics and the speed at which he gets his shot off that will need to be addressed before his jumper is seen as a real weapon. The Raptors could use his potential as a floor spacer from the forward spot, though, as they ranked 26th in threes attempted and made this season.
Between Graves, Scottie Barnes, and rookie Collin Murray-Boyles, the Raptors have assembled an intriguing collection of versatile forwards who can play multiple positions and contribute in multiple ways on both sides of the floor alongside the rest of their roster.
