Raptors Take Alijah Martin at #39
There's just something different about Winners...
With local Canadian star Maxime Raynaud still available the Raptors didn’t even blink, selecting Alijah Martin at #39. It was a pick several Draft pundits called weeks before the draft, proving how predictable the Raptors team building philosophy has become. Raptor fans were left discouraged as the team needs at Center seemly went unanswered but that worry is for another day. Right now fans need to find out who Alijah Martin is!
Who is this Guy?
A Winner. That’s who he is! The first player every to Start games in the Final 4 for two different programs. He had to leverage a fifth year due to Covid to do it, but that’s impressive. Born with a basketball in his hands, “Mama Martin” Tina Martin was a youth basketball coach when Alijah arrived in this world for his very first day. An extremely gifted athlete, Alijah was a standout Football quarterback, passing for over 2,100 yards and 20 touchdowns and rushing for 1,300 yards and 13 touchdowns in high school. As a former Football highschool coach I can confirm that is the sign of a very, very uniquely talented young man!
I mention the football background because that explains A LOT about Alijah Martin’s Basketball style. He’s a 6’2” guard who DUNKED the ball 29 times last year at Florida. Alijah already has posters of guys on his wall! When he gets the ball he’s looking for the big finish and he’s not worried about a little contact in the lane!!! Defensively he’s yet again a football player on a basketball court. All Nasty and up in everyone’s Grill! One of the best point of attack defenders in this 2025 NBA draft, Alijah carried Florida Atlantic for 3 years on his two way shoulders from obscure team to a national problem.
The Knock?
So why didn’t Alijah get drafted higher? At #39 many felt the Raptors reached for him and skipped over some better NBA sized players. At 6’2” he’s a ‘small guard’ in the NBA nowadays. His last year shooting was slightly down from previous years concerning many scouts. Strangely knocked as not a good passer which I find extremely hard to believe given his football quarterback history. I suspect transferring to a new team his 5th year dropped some of his numbers as he worked to fit into a program rather than take over a program. Context behind stats is so, so important.
Expectations in Toronto
An overage player at 23 years old, Alijah Martin wants to stick on the Big Team. While some G league time to pick up the teams play style and calls will help, along with improving his shot selection, Alijah wants to get NBA minutes. In Toronto the guy stopping him is Jamal Shead. Both have similar styles, both tough defenders while Jamal passes more and Alijah drives to the rim much harder. Being such a great defender will make it very hard for Coach Darko to send him down.
What to watch as Alijah transitions to the Raptors. Can he drive to the Rim as much as he likes in the NBA? There’s a LOT of Big Boys inside there and if Alijah can’t that will put a lot of pressure on the rest of his game which isn’t his proven specialty. Can he pick the right shots and confidently start hitting them? Remember Alijah is a winner, Final 4 guy on two different teams. He steps up when games get tougher, not back. But NBA pressure cooks the best of them. Can he get enough steals to disrupt game flow and spark his team off a bench?
I expect Alijah to get some early G league time, not because he can’t play in the NBA, but because it will ease his transition and keep his confidence high. After 20 games he should be getting spot minutes here and there in NBA action. The rest is really in his hands. Can he take Shead’s spot on the team? Shead took Davion Mitchell’s spot last year in a bit of a surprise. Can Alijah defend up a position against SF’s in the NBA well enough to be a more useful tool on Darko’s bench? Very possible.
I don’t warm up very much to ‘small’ rookies trying to break into the NBA. Shead had to work hard last year to earn any love I gave him. But Alijah is clearly that Freak type, multi-sport athlete. They are always capable of doing more than you think they can. They seem to simply be ‘Winners’. Guys that the stats and numbers can’t explain.
Most of All I want to be there when Alijah Martin catches his first Body in the NBA!