It seems that even with former general manager Masai Ujuri at the helm, the Toronto Raptors scouting department still has the magic touch when it comes to finding hidden gems. As an organization not necessarily known for splash free agent signings, this team has made a name for itself through being exceptional in the draft.

OG Anunoby, with the 23rd pick in 2017 became a multi-time All-Defensive player with the Raptors. Pascal Siakam, with the 27th the year prior was a two-time All-NBA selection and was a major factor in the Raptors 2019 NBA championship run.  Those are just some of the examples of how Toronto has made the most of late round selections and it seems they have struck gold again. With the 19th pick in the 2026 draft, the Raptors went with forward Allen Graves and through the first few games of the season, he is already looking one of the biggest steals of the class.

Graves Embodies the “Star in Your Role” Archetype

One thing Toronto has emphasized over the better part of the last decade through the draft is rangy wings that can dribble, pass, shoot and most importantly play defense at a high level. Graves is no exception, as he’s come in and made the most of his minutes on the floor.

The  traditional box score stats aren’t pretty but the per 36 stats reveal that will more time to grow his game and some more opportunity, he could be a force off the bench. He's averaging 14.1 points, 10.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 3.9 blocks and 1.6 steals per 36 minutes through his first three games. In a recent Bleacher Report article highlighting some of the most notable draft steals through the first week of NBA action, writer Grant Hughes' three-word label summarizes Graves’ role and trajectory perfectly.

“Graves is a true "little things" superstar, gifted with innate timing and anticipation that basically allows him to teleport to the right spot for rebounds and loose balls,” Hughes wrote. “He has tremendous hands and excellent length at 6'9", both of which help compensate for limited run-and-jump athleticism.”

Thee reality is that on a Raptors team that already has Scottie Barnes, Kawhi Leonard, Ja’Kobi Walter and Collin Murray-Boyles all well established and soaking up a lot of the forward minutes, we may only see Graves full potential in flashes rather than stretches this season. But with Leonard already out and set to miss significant time, the next few months may be Raptors fans best chance to see the full package brings to the table.

Graves Role Fits The Raptors Identity

Graves comes into the league as a little bit of an older rookie at 20-years-old, but his intangibles show that he still has another gear he can get to. At 6-foot-8, 225 pounds, Graves has the build to match the athleticism that will help him see consistent minutes for this team. If for his defensive upside alone, Graves has the ability to guard in space and can even be a second side rim protector to help out bigs like Murray-Boyles and Jakob Poeltl. 

The big swing skill for him, as is for most Raptors players, is the three-ball. Graves is shooting sub-20 per cent from three even if on limited attempts. But in college, he showed that even with low volume he is more than capable of making the most of his looks. In his single season with Santa Clara, Graves hit 41.3 per cent of his threes while only taking 2.6 a game. 

Toronto would love to see him pick that volume up in the pros but even him replicating his college production from distance would be a huge additive to a Raptors team still in dire need of consistent floor spacing. On offense, hit threes and crash the glass. On defense, defend in space and protect the paint. Those are the things the Raptors need out of their forwards and Graves has all the upside to seamlessly slide into that role. 

Only time will tell as to whether or not he will top out as nothing more than a glorified role player. But so far, he’s shown that he has a bit more in him than that he’s just waiting to get his shot to show off all that he can do.