Scottie Barnes opened up about career season with Raptors, and praised his teammates after an impressive campaign.
The Toronto Raptors’ season ended after a hard fought seven-game first round battle against the Cleveland Cavaliers. But the season was by no means a failure as the team took a significant step forward in 2025-26. It was Toronto’s first trip to the playoffs since 2022 and the team saw several young players emerge as key contributors.
No player was more central to that progress than Scottie Barnes. In his fifth NBA season, Barnes averaged 18.1 points, 7.5 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game while continuing to establish himself as the face of the franchise. Beyond the numbers, he embraced a larger leadership role, helping guide a roster that featured a mix of veterans and several young contributors. His efforts were recognized at the end of the season when he earned his first selection to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team.
Speaking with Raptors reporter Omer Osman on Thursday, Scottie Barnes reflected on both his individual growth and the team’s progress.
“I felt like we went out there every single game and we just got better,” Barnes said. “I think this was my most efficient season so far, so just growing in that way, knowing how to be successful with less.”
Barnes credited several teammates for helping the Raptors stay competitive throughout the season. He pointed to Brandon Ingram’s scoring ability, Immanuel Quickley’s stability at point guard when healthy, and the development of second-year guards Jamal Shead and Ja’Kobe Walter. He also highlighted the impact of Sandro Mamukelashvili, whose shooting and spacing helped create opportunities across the offense.
When discussing Game 7, Barnes identified Jarrett Allen’s third-quarter performance as a major turning point. Allen’s energy and production helped Cleveland seize control of the game and ultimately the series.
Barnes also strongly defended veteran center Jakob Poeltl, pushing back against criticism directed at the big man and emphasizing his value to the team.
The highest praise, however, was reserved for rookie forward Collin Murray-Boyles.
“CMB’s a hell of a defender. We trust him with the utmost trust. He was guarding me all of preseason and I know how well he guards,” Barnes said.
Barnes called Murray-Boyles a “dawg” and a future fan favorite. The rookie averaged 8.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.9 assists during the regular season before elevating his play in the postseason, where he averaged 17.0 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists while shooting 65.9 percent from the field.
Barnes believes the Raptors are heading in the right direction.
“The future is very bright for us,” he said.
With Barnes, Ingram, Quickley, Murray-Boyles and several other young contributors under contract, Toronto enters the offseason with optimism and a roster that appears capable of building on its playoff breakthrough.
