Raptors Executive Shares Thoughts On Drafting Older Prospects

The Toronto Raptors still see upside in older prospects and haven't been afraid to draft prospects who have spent a little more time developing in college

Apr 8, 2024; Glendale, AZ, USA; Purdue Boilermakers center Zach Edey (15) is defended by Connecticut Huskies center Donovan Clingan (32) in the national championship game of the Final Four of the 2024 NCAA Tournament at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports / Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

The Toronto Raptors don’t seem afraid of older prospects.

Yes, Gradey Dick and Scottie Barnes were one-and-done college prospects, but Christian Koloko, Malachi Flynn, OG Anunoby, Pascal Siakam, Jakob Poeltl, and Delon Wight all spent at least a couple of years in college before coming out in the draft.

In Toronto’s one public workout earlier this week, the organization worked out six seniors including Canadian center Zach Edey who just wrapped up his fourth season at Purdue. It's hard to know exactly who else the organization has worked out ahead of the draft but the list of names who have reportedly worked out for Toronto so far does not include a single freshman, according to HoopsHype.

“It’s just going to become more a part of the draft now because with so many players going back to school for a year or two longer,” Raptors executive Dan Tolzman said following the workout. “The argument that players are too old to be first round picks, I kind of think that’s going out the window now just because the transition of the college game is going to become more of mature players.”

Historically speaking, older prospects have been downgraded because of their perceived lack of potential. The best prospects are typically coveted by NBA teams from the moment they graduate high school and it’s theoretically better to get a prospect into an NBA organization at 18 or 19 compared to 23.

But with collegiate players now being compensated for their name, image, and likeness and new transfer rules creating more freedom for prospects, it’s not hard to see some prospects returning to college for an extra year.

“Maybe they’re not seniors but more veteran players as opposed to the past when it was the early first round picks were just flyers to see what these young guys have,” Tolzman said. “The college game in general is going to become more competitive because players are older, they’ve been there longer. So it’s valuable.”

Just look at the All-Rookie team from this past season. Jaime Jaquez Jr. earned first-team honors after four years in college as did Brandin Podziemski who transferred from Illinois to Santa Clara before declaring for the NBA draft as a sophomore. Neither Jaquez nor Podziemski were lottery picks, but both proved to be valuable rotation players on the Miami Heat and Golden State Warriors, respectively.

In a draft as wide open and uncertain as this one appears to be, it wouldn’t be surprising if some teams opt to play it a little safer with prospects who have spent a little more time in college before declaring for the draft.