While it’s only been a year, the 2024 draft class for the Toronto Raptors is looking like one of the deepest and most talented classes the team has ever brought in.
Ja’Kobe Walter, Jonathan Mogbo, Jamal Shead, Jamison Battle, and Ulrich Chomche have all shown varying degrees of promise in their own right, starting with the first-round selection of the group in Walter.
All in all, it was a stop-and-start rookie season for the 21-year-old, which featured multiple injuries, including one that kept him out of training camp. In the 52 games that Walter played in, however, the guard averaged 8.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.6 assists while shooting 40.5 per cent from the field, 34.9 per cent from distance, and 79.5 per cent from the free throw line in his debut season.
The Baylor alum has a skill set that allows him to fit into a multitude of roles offensively with his shooting, budding handle, and ability to get to the free throw line. An actual full offseason for Walter to continue developing offensively under Darko Rajakovic is massive for his future development, as taking another step on that end of the floor is something surely the Raptors’ brass and fans alike will want to see.
Walter also offers length, quick hands, and competitiveness defensively.
Speaking of defence, that’s where the next two second-round picks were able to make their hay in year one in Mogbo and Shead.
The 6-foot-7 Mogbo played in 63 games last season for the big club, putting up 6.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.4 stocks while spending time as a versatile four-man and small-ball five.
Defensively, however, is where the 23-year-old looked the part during the later stages of last year’s regular season.
The forward’s athleticism, physicality, and length stood out, as the West Palm Beach, Fla. native did a multitude of things for Toronto’s defence, from guarding opposing lead ball handlers to sweeping off the ball.
The biggest question for Mogbo is on the other end of the floor on offence. With Mogbo’s athleticism, asserting his dominance around the rim is where he can take the next step and contribute more, something he also started to put together towards the end of the year.
With the addition of Collin Murray-Boyles, Mogbo’s game is one of the more interesting ones to watch long-term, having finished strong in year one.
Shead was another big reason for the Dinos’ resurgence defensively last season, as the Houston alum stepped up his play the more time he got.
The 23-year-old is coming off a more than solid rookie season where he averaged 7.1 points and 4.2 assists while shooting 40.5 per cent from the field, 32.3 per cent from three, and 76.8 per cent from the charity stripe.
The point guard has taken on somewhat of a leadership role with Toronto, as his point of attack defence and playmaking were noticeable last season, while the three-point shot turned a corner late in the year, too.
The most surprising performance, given their expectations, was easily Jamison Battle. Everyone and their mother found out about Battle’s shooting ability, draining 40.5 per cent from deep across 59 games for the Raptors last season. It’s how good the 6-foot-7, 220-pound wing does everything else that’s intriguing to see.
Seeing what the 24-year-old can continue to do as a defender and with more on-ball responsibility moving forward will be fascinating to watch after averaging 7.1 points and 2.7 rebounds with Toronto last season.
Rounding out this talented class was Ulrich Chomche, who was making promising headway last season before suffering a proximal MCL tear in his right knee in mid-February, ending his season.
With the 905 last season, the 6-foot-11 centre averaged 7.1 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks while shooting 54.4 percent from the field across 33 games, while being one of the best defenders in the G League last season.
Chomche also appeared in seven games for the Raptors themselves, including seeing the most action in his career (12 minutes) against the Philadelphia 76ers, matching up with fellow Cameroonian and former Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid.
The youngest player under an NBA contract last season got his feet back under him at Summer League, where it looked like he may have taken a step offensively, which was subpar for most of last season in the G. The rim protection and movement abilities are there; what Chomche does offensively this season will be the main area of focus.
Overall, the 2024 draft class provided value at every position one through five, as this crop of players not only contributed good minutes in their rookie years, but all have the potential to contribute to winning in the future.
You can find the entire Raptors Republic draft look back series here:
