Collin Murray-Boyles Declares for 2025 NBA Draft; B/R's No. 9 Ranked Player

Following a breakout sophomore season at South Carolina, Collin Murray-Boyles is turning pro.

Murray-Boyles told ESPN's Jonathan Givony he is declaring for the 2025 NBA draft.

"This is exactly how I thought my college career would turn out," Murray-Boyles said of his decision. "South Carolina had a vision for me to lead the team. They gave me freedom to express myself."

B/R's Jonathan Wasserman has Murray-Boyles ranked as the No. 9 overall prospect in the 2025 class.

The 2024-25 season was extremely disappointing for the Gamecocks. They finished 12-20 and missed the NCAA tournament after a 26-win campaign in 2023-24.

Those struggles had nothing to do with Murray-Boyles. He led the team in scoring average (16.8 points per game) on 58.6 percent shooting, rebounds (8.3) and blocks (1.3).

Murray-Boyles was named to the All-SEC second team. He also made the SEC All-Freshman team in 2023-24.

Despite some draft chatter after his debut season, Murray-Boyles explained returning to South Carolina for his sophomore year was always part of the plan.

"I think I made my decision before I enrolled in college that I was going to come back," Murray Boyles told Trevyn Gray of the Charlotte Observer in October. "I wasn’t really deciding on whether I wanted to leave or stay. I was always going to stay. So, it wasn’t really a choice for me."

It's a move that seems likely to pay off handsomely for Murray-Boyles. He could hear his name called in the 2025 draft early thanks to a combination of strong post play and defensive aptitude.

Wasserman cited Julius Randle and Anthony Mason as the NBA comparisons for Murray-Boyles based on his skill set. He doesn't have the most diverse offensive profile, having shot 9-of-39 from three-point range in 60 games at South Carolina.

As long as Murray-Boyles' strength down low on both ends of the court translates to the next level, he should have no problem becoming a quality starter in the NBA.