What are the Raptors getting in Collin Murray-Boyles?

Collin Murray-Boyles' first few moments as a Raptor didn't inspire much confidence north of the border. And it had nothing to do with the fact that most Raptors fans had hoped the team would select a higher-ceiling prospect like Khaman Maluach or Noa Essengue with the ninth overall pick.

Many viewed the South Carolina big man's four-letter reaction to hearing his name attached to Toronto as a clear sign of his disappointment. Murray-Boyles spent parts of Wednesday night clearing up any confusion. "Being with this organization means so much," he told NBA TV minutes after being drafted.

"It was just disbelief. Toronto was probably the first team I worked out for," he told Raptors reporters via a remote interview later in the evening. "What I said was not a bad thing by any means. I'm just really thankful. That was a surreal moment."

With that sorted out, Murray-Boyles can begin to clear up similar misconceptions about his game.

Doubters surely see an undersized big man who can't shoot. The dreaded tweener forward. But look beyond that shortsighted label, and you'll find an analytics darling - a versatile, high-floor big man who should be able to hang in the NBA immediately and stick around for a while.

What Murray-Boyles lacks in traditional size (6-foot-6.5), he makes up for with a nearly 7-foot-1 wingspan. His length, mobility, and great hands allow him to be highly disruptive on the defensive end, where he plays with an intensity that should make him a fan favorite. Murray-Boyles can defend every frontcourt position, with his 239-pound frame holding up against centers in the post and smaller players on switches. He's also a great rebounder.

The shooting concerns are legitimate, particularly on a team built around Scottie Barnes (and one that finished 29th in 3-point attempt rate this past season). Murray-Boyles attempted only 39 3-pointers over his two years at South Carolina and made nine of them, good for 23.1%. His range and jumper will be the swing skill, as it is for most prospects these days, but there's enough offensive utility here for Murray-Boyles to provide two-way value regardless.

For one, he's a great interior finisher (62% on 2-pointers, 67% at the rim) with some impressive playmaking chops and a desire to tear the rim down. A point-forward role in college gave the lefty plenty of reps with the ball in his hands, and he's shown the ability to put it on the floor and get to the basket. Still, he's self-aware enough to know that might not be his offensive role at the pro level, as he's mentioned a willingness to do the dirty work if needed. The ball can also go through him as a connector from the elbows in head coach Darko Rajakovic's offense.

Murray-Boyles' combination of defensive ability and playmaking upside at his size will draw the usual comparisons to Draymond Green. But if we're on the topic of four-time All-Stars, there's some Paul Millsap in there, too.

Murray-Boyles is essentially a more polished version of what the Raptors' front office saw in second-round pick Jonathan Mogbo a year ago. That might be a problem for Mogbo in his quest to crack Toronto's rotation, but Mogbo's also not a good enough prospect for his development to be dictating what the Raptors do with their draft picks. As general manager Bobby Webster told reporters Wednesday, this club is still in talent acquisition mode. "We're not so worried about position as we try to find these players," said Webster. "Teams change a lot, you can trade, there's a lot of different movement there. For us, it was more, who do we think is the best player?"

With Maluach, Essengue, and others still on the board, Webster and the Raptors clearly felt Murray-Boyles was the best player available, and not just in the short term. "'Best player available' is you're assuming the guy's going to stay on your team for a long time, so you want him to be great," Webster said.

Great is a lofty expectation and a statistically improbable one for any prospect, let alone the ninth pick. At worst, Murray-Boyles looks like a solid yet unspectacular pro with a terrific defensive baseline to work from.

The Raptors may not need more of those types as presently constructed, and there's no question they need more shooting. But more than anything, Toronto needs talent. Murray-Boyles probably has more than he's been given credit for.

Joseph Casciaro is theScore's lead Raptors and NBA reporter.