Raptors Sneak Back into 2nd Round to Add 18-Year-Old Prospect

The Toronto Raptors traded back into the second round to select Cameroonian center Ulrich Chomche with the 57th pick

Jun 26, 2024; Brooklyn, NY, USA; NBA commissioner Adam Silver speaks before the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports / Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

The Toronto Raptors are loading up on rookies.

Just months after saying the organization didn't want to add three rookies from this year's class, Toronto has traded back into the second round to select Ulrich Chomche with the 57th pick. The pick was acquired from the Minnesota Timberwolves in what was the second of two trades the Raptors made Thursday.

The 6-foot-10.25 Chomche spent the past season playing in the Basketball Africa League and training at the NBA Academy Africa. He appeared in three games during the Basketball Africa League qualifiers in which he averaged 13 points, nine rebounds, and three assists per game while shooting 42.4% from the field and 38.1% from three-point range.

The expectation is Chomche, 18, will come in and join Toronto on a two-way contract as he matures in the G League for the organization. He'll likely see plenty of playing time with the Raptors 905 before the organization hopes he becomes a contributor at some point down the road.

Toronto acquired the 45th pick earlier in the day in a multi-player deal with the Sacramento Kings. The Raptors used the pick to add Jamal Shead, a defense-first guard out of Houston.

The Raptors ended the draft with four new rookies headlined by Baylor freshman Ja'Kobe Walter and San Francisco's Jonathan Mogbo at No. 19 and 31, respectively. They'll join Toronto's core of Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett, and Gradey Dick as the organization turns its attention toward the future with an intriguing young group of players.