Welcome to Raptors Republic’s new New Year tradition. As decided by you, the readers, it’s time to dive into the 10 most-read editorials of the year at Raptors Republic. You can find the full top-10 list of released articles for 2025 (as each one is released) here.
I limited the list to editorials because news items and other pieces can often have more reads than columns. But these pieces — and I’m including post-game pieces — are the ones that take the most work, and in my eyes have the most value. So they’re the ones included in this list.
The year of 2025 has been one defined maybe most by wild swings of emotion for the Toronto Raptors. Toronto traded for Brandon Ingram, which allowed it to continue to tank to end the year. Then the team didn’t rise in the draft and added Collin Murray-Boyles. The season started, and the team looked great! (For one game.) Then terrible, then great, now terrible again. A real roller coaster.
Through it all, there has been comprehensive coverage here at Raptors Republic. Some of the top stories include reactions to that trade for Ingram, that Murray-Boyles pick, the collapse of the team’s fortunes over the previous few weeks. We’ve been here, with you, watching it all unfold. If 2026 is anything similar, we could lose five years of our lives.
Without further ado, the No. 8 most-read story at Raptors Republic of 2025: “A too-early projection of the Toronto Raptors’ rotation” by Coty Wiles
As for the bench, roster battles across the squad amongst players under 25 years old headline the group.
Gradey Dick vs. Ja’Kobe Walter, Collin Murray-Boyles vs. Jonathan Mogbo, and, to a lesser extent, Jamal Shead vs. Alijah Martin and Ochai Agbaji vs. Jamison Battle are all interesting matchups to monitor as they will determine how the minutes are distributed.
It is a good thing, however, as iron sharpens iron, and having depth, plus the versatility to give different looks, is something that is in fashion in the modern NBA and something the Raptors could possess.
Of course, most of the aforementioned superb sophomore class finds themselves here, and how all of Walter, Mogbo, Shead, and Battle look in year two and where they slot in the rotation on a more competitive team will be intriguing.
Where the rookies fit in is also interesting, especially Murray-Boyles. The ninth overall pick averaged 16.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.3 blocks while shooting 58.6 per cent from the field, 26.5 per cent from three, and 70.7 per cent from the free throw line in his sophomore season at South Carolina.
You can read the rest of the piece here. And tune in tomorrow for number seven!
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