Collin Murray-Boyles is the Top Returnee in the 2025 NBA Draft Class

The South Carolina forward is the top returnee in the class, as it stands right now.

Mar 20, 2024; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks forward Collin Murray-Boyles (30) receives the ball during the NCAA first round practice session at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images / Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

The 2025 NBA Draft is already gaining a sterling reputation as one of the better classes in years, with talents like Cooper Flagg, Ace Bailey, Dylan Harper, Nolan Traore and VJ Edgecombe littering the top of the class.

After a few seasons of international prospects dominating headlines, there’s likely to be a resurgence of collegiate talent. But the ’25 international class is strong, too.

The one area the class lacks depth in is the returnees, which oftentimes can fill out the end of the lottery and beyond. Or even sneak players into the top-five, a la Keegan Murray, Jaden Ivey and more.

One player stands far above the rest of the returnees this year: South Carolina’s Collin Murray-Boyles.

A 6-foot-7 combo forward with a throwback game, Murray-Boyles was a projected mid-first selection in the 2024 NBA Draft, but eventually opted out to continue to work on improving his game with the Gamecocks.

In his lone collegiate season, Murray-Boyles decimated impact metrics, averaging 10.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.0 steals and blocks apiece in just 23 minutes per game. He was a non-shooter, finishing with no hits on five total attempts, but still managed to shoot 60% overall and 67% from the line.

Per Draft Digest’s earlier scouting report on Murray Boyles: “One of the things that makes his game so special is his ability to get to the basket with his handle, cutting without the ball to set himself up under the hoop, using off-ball screens to navigate and find holes in the pressure, and finishing at the rim.”

Without much real competition just yet, CMB is the clear top returnee in the 2025 NBA Draft class. And even minor improvement on his jump-shooting could turn him from a late-lottery selection into a bona fide top-10 pick or higher.

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