“Collin Murray-Boyles Breaks Silence on Viral NBA Draft Moment — ‘It Was Just Shock!’”

From Shock to Spotlight: Collin Murray-Boyles’ Viral Draft Moment and His Honest Reaction to Being Picked No. 9

Draft night is always full of emotion, but for former South Carolina Gamecock Collin Murray-Boyles, it was a moment he’ll never forget—and neither will the internet. When the Toronto Raptors called his name as the No. 9 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, cameras captured a stunned Murray-Boyles as he stood up, buttoned his jacket, and muttered a spontaneous, wide-eyed F-bomb—a raw reaction that quickly went viral online.

Though it was a genuine display of disbelief, the moment didn’t make the final cut of the Raptors’ official draft night video. The team’s media staff quietly edited out the expletive, though fans had already circulated the clip widely on social media.

But let’s set the record straight: Murray-Boyles’ reaction wasn’t frustration or regret—it was pure shock. A Columbia native having his life change on national television in real time? That kind of surprise can’t be scripted.

Despite working out with Toronto earlier in the pre-draft process, Murray-Boyles had no clue the Raptors were picking him. As Raptors GM Bobby Webster explained:

“My take on it was, [we] don’t tell them [we are drafting them]. A lot of people tell you, and so I don’t think he knew. I think maybe, you know, I think it was truly sort of a reaction to it happening. So maybe we should leak more.”

Murray-Boyles echoed that sentiment when asked about the moment:

“Just disbelief,” he said. “What I said was not a bad thing by any means. I’m just very thankful for it. That was a surreal moment to hear my name called by this organization that has a good history and have really good players right now. It was a crazy moment.”

“Obviously thankful for the opportunity that they’re giving me. And taking it full on and ready to do whatever it takes and whatever they need me to do.”

It was a powerful full-circle moment for the defensive standout with a 7’1” wingspan, whose journey from Columbia’s Colonial Life Arena to Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena is only just beginning.

So here’s to the unscripted, unforgettable moments—and to Collin Murray-Boyles, who reminded us that dreams don’t always come with a filter, but they do come true.