Collin Murray-Boyles: Lofton or Barkley?
Collin Murray-Boyles was the lone bright spot in the horrific season that South Carolina had. Will he continue to shine throughout the pre-draft process to land himself in the lottery?
Collin Murray-Boyles is wide. Standing at 6’7”, 245, he has firmly been put in the “small but large” forward category that has seen guys like Charles Barkley, Kenneth Lofton Jr., etc. His game is physical yet filled with finesse, leading many NBA scouts to watch a Gamecock squad win two conference games in a stacked SEC, with Murray-Boyles trying to shoulder most of the offensive load (playmaking and scoring) due to a subpar roster. With their season being ended quickly in the first round of the conference tournament, he can now focus all of his efforts on his pre-draft process, where is draft stock seems to hover in the late lottery to the mid-first round range. Does Murray-Boyles deserve the lottery pick projections? Let’s take a look at his profile, and decide whether he is the next Charles Barkley, or Kenneth Lofton Jr.
Basic Stats (2024-2025): 30.6 MPG, 16.8 PPG, 2.4 APG, 8.3 RPG, 1.5 SPG, 1.3 BPG, 2.4 TO, 58.6% FG
PROS
Operates efficiently down low (86th %tile PPP Rating at a 71% TIme Rank)
Deceptively quick and can utilize weight well to gain positioning, uses his quickness to attack open spaces of the floor very nicely
Seals his man very well to get a step on him, allowing a nice look at the rim
Uses his weight well to put a shoulder into his defenders chest and initiate contact
Some of the best footwork in the draft right now
In control of everything he does, can glide through the paint without much effort when driving
Creates a lot of driving angles with quick jabs, allowing him to get easy looks at the rim
Plays off of two feet efficiently; feet look firm.
Utilizes his wide frame to be a solid screener
Generates a ton of contact without making much of an effort, very Rick Mahorn-esque
Strong rebounder (6 DRbs/Game at a 23.5% DRb Pct)
Shows a lot of aggressiveness, which allows him to get a lot of 2nd chance opportunities (2.4/Game)
High points the ball very well, can absorb contact and maintain focus through the play to get the ball.
Great finisher and cutter (82nd %tile PPP Rating for Cuts, primarily going to the basket)
Incredibly crafty for his size with some impressive body control
Anticipates the collapsing defense and finds the open spot well for an easy finish
Surprisingly underrated passer (21.1% Assist Pct, 88th %tile PPP Rating for Post-Ups Including Passes)
South Carolina uses him a fair amount as an initiator or as the lead ball-handler at times. I could see him being a great connecting passer at the next level.
Hits the backdoor with extreme precision, showing a lot of touch as he passes out of the high low.
In the very few possessions he’s had as the PNR ball-handler, he’s pretty decent, which is rare for a guy of his build (89th %tile PPP Rating for PNR Including Passes at a 3% Time Rank)
Excels in both roles when in transition (96th %tile Points Per Possession+Assist when in transition
Can push the tempo and score as a ball-handler or get out in front and score as the lead man
Pretty good paint defender (84th %tile PPP Rating for Post-Ups, 68th %tile PPS At The Rim)
While he can get beat off the dribble easily and he isn’t an insane shot blocker, he utilizes his weight well to give great big men problems down low (Johni Broome)
CONS
Issues with turnovers, even with his high usage rate (2.4/game at a 26.7% Usage Pct)
Struggles with ball security when driving and when going up to finish, frequently leading to avoidable turnovers from defensive swipes when attacking the rim.
Doesn’t have the outside shot yet (15th %tile PPP Rating for Catch and Shoot, 26.5% from three)
Probably won’t ever develop it, as he isn’t willing to shoot it as well, so that will be an issue as a 6’7” big man. His free throw percentage (70.7%) show promise, but I’m not convinced that his jumper will come.
Height a little bit of a question mark
How will he fit into a team at 6’7” with the way he plays the game, especially if the jumpshot never comes? Easily his biggest concern for me in my opinion.
Final Take: A crafty, undersized big man with elite footwork, strong finishing, and surprising passing ability, but his lack of an outside shot and height raise serious concerns about his long-term fit at the next level.
Draft Projection: Mid Lottery to Mid First Round.
Player Comp: More skilled, thinner, quicker Kenneth Lofton; utilizes weight well down low and in rebounding, but doesn’t have the outside shot that is expected out of a big of that height, and the lack of height prohibits his positional fit at the next level