{"id":186283,"date":"2026-04-03T16:51:58","date_gmt":"2026-04-03T20:51:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=186283"},"modified":"2026-04-03T16:51:58","modified_gmt":"2026-04-03T20:51:58","slug":"alijah-martin-raptors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2026\/04\/03\/alijah-martin-raptors\/","title":{"rendered":"Alijah Martin\u2019s Rise Shows Raptors\u2019 Development Is Working"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Toronto Raptors have built a strong reputation for developing talent, and the recent recognition of Alijah Martin<\/a> in the G League is another example of the Raptors’ system working at a high level.<\/p>\n

Martin\u2019s season with Raptors 905 has been filled with milestones. He not only finished second in Rookie of the Year voting and third in Defensive Player of the Year voting, but he was also named a G League All-Star and selected to participate in the NBA Rising Stars event. Those honors highlight just how impactful his season has been.<\/p>\n

For a young player, earning recognition at multiple levels is a clear sign of rapid development.<\/p>\n

Alijah Martin\u2019s Rise Shows Raptors\u2019 Development Is Working<\/h2>\n

A Complete Two-Way Season<\/h3>\n

Martin\u2019s production shows how well-rounded his game has become. Across 39 games, he averaged 18.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game, while also adding 1.4 steals and shooting 39 percent from three-point range.<\/p>\n

These numbers reflect balance. Martin was not just scoring, but contributing in multiple areas. His ability to defend, facilitate, and space the floor made him one of the most complete rookies in the league. That level of impact explains why he received recognition in both major award races and earned All-Star status.<\/p>\n

Growth As An On-Ball Creator<\/h3>\n

One of the most important parts of Martin\u2019s season was his development with the ball in his hands.<\/p>\n

After Chucky Hepburn<\/a> went down, Martin was asked to take on more responsibility as a primary ball handler. Instead of struggling, he adapted quickly. He showed improved decision-making, better shot creation, and a growing ability to control the pace of the game. His playmaking numbers also improved, showing he could create for others as well as himself. This type of growth is exactly what organizations look for in young prospects.<\/p>\n

Defensive Impact Stands Out<\/h3>\n

<\/smartframe-embed><\/p>\n

While his offensive game continues to grow, Martin\u2019s defense may be his strongest trait. Finishing third in Defensive Player of the Year voting is a major accomplishment, especially for a rookie. It reflects consistent effort, awareness, and versatility. Martin\u2019s 1.4 steals per game only tell part of the story. He disrupted passing lanes, pressured ball handlers, and showed the ability to guard multiple positions.<\/p>\n

That defensive identity fits perfectly with what Toronto values as an organization. His defense perfectly fits next to the amazing defenders on the roster like Scottie Barnes<\/a>, who possess his own case for Defensive Player of the Year<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Recognition At Every Level<\/h3>\n

What makes Martin\u2019s season even more impressive is the level of recognition he received. Being named a G League All-Star shows he was one of the top players in the league. At the same time, his selection to the NBA Rising Stars event places him among the most promising young talents connected to the league. These honors go beyond statistics. They show that his impact was consistently noticed and respected. For the Raptors, that is a strong sign that their development pipeline continues to produce NBA-ready talent.<\/p>\n

What This Means For Toronto<\/h3>\n

Martin\u2019s success is not just about individual growth. It reflects the strength of Toronto\u2019s system. The Raptors have consistently used their G League affiliate to develop players into contributors at the NBA level. Martin now looks like the next name to watch. His two-way ability, combined with his improving offensive game, gives him a real chance to earn a role in the future<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Final Thoughts<\/h3>\n

Martin\u2019s season has been one of the most complete and impressive among G League rookies. From strong statistical production to major recognitions like All-Star selection and Rising Stars participation, he has checked every box. For the Raptors, it is another reminder that their development system works. If Martin continues on this path, it may not be long before he gets a real opportunity at the NBA level.<\/p>\n

Featured Image: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Toronto Raptors have built a strong reputation for developing talent, and the recent recognition of Alijah Martin in the G League is another example of the Raptors’ system working at a high level. Martin\u2019s season with Raptors 905 has been filled with milestones. He not only finished second in Rookie of the Year voting […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5768,"featured_media":186310,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1608,62,14],"tags":[1332,1712,3852],"class_list":["post-186283","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-basketball","category-nba","category-raptors","tag-nba-g-league","tag-nba-rookies","tag-scottie-barnes"],"modified_by":"Benjamin Yu","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/186283","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5768"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=186283"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/186283\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":186319,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/186283\/revisions\/186319"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/186310"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=186283"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=186283"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=186283"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}