Scottie Barnes Shares Emotional Moment With New Raptors Teammate

Toronto Raptors star Scottie Barnes celebrated Jonathan Mogbo being selected with the 31st pick in Thursday's NBA draft

San Francisco Dons forward Jonathan Mogbo (10) spins toward the basket as Cincinnati Bearcats guard Simas Lukosius (41) defends in the second half of a college basketball game in the National Invitation Tournament, Wednesday, March 20, 2024, at Fifth Third Arena in Cincinnati. / Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY

Scottie Barnes spoke it into existence.

The Toronto Raptors star had grown up with Jonathan Mogbo in West Palm Beach, Florida. The two 22-year-olds had spent the summers training together working to achieve their NBA dreams.

On Thursday, Mogbo achieved his.

Toronto selected Mogbo with the 31st pick in the NBA draft while Barnes looked on accompanying Mogbo and his family.

Looks like Scottie Barnes is spending the day with Jonathan Mogbo: pic.twitter.com/fNRnbtzGMm

— 𝐀𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐧 𝐑𝐨𝐬𝐞 (@AaronBenRose) June 27, 2024

Earlier this year Barnes had said this would happen. He was on Twitch and said Mogbo would join the Raptors as he tried to will it into happening.

"Jonathan Mogbo, University of San Fran, future Toronto Raptors," Barnes said.

When the pick was made, Barnes stood behind Mogbo smiling as the San Francisco prospect celebrated.

In Mogbo, Toronto is getting another Barnes-like player. The 6-foot-6.25 senior averaged 14.2 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game while providing versatile, switchable defense as a two-way forward. The issue with Mogbo is going to be his shooting. He attempted just two three-pointers last season and was essentially a non-shooter from anywhere outside the paint.

"That's the development piece," Raptors general manager Bobby Webster said. "Get (him) in here, have our coaches kind of sit with where he is mechanics, mentally confidence. I think in talking to him, he doesn't have any sort of confidence issues, but I think we just need to see what it looks like up close and see how we can either tweak it or leave with the same or rip it out. It'd be a fun project."

The Raptors will likely sign Mogbo to a four-year deal with the league's new second-round pick exception and have Barnes and Mogbo together for at least the next few seasons. Barnes is set to ink a five-year extension with the organization that'll begin next year and that'll take him through the 2029-30 season with the Raptors.