The former second-round pick out of Florida is returning to the Toronto Raptors on a two-year, $4.8 million contract, the team announced on Friday.
Toronto Raptors general manager Bobby Webster is not done yet, even after adding additional depth to the lineup with Thursday's signing of Kyle Anderson.
Now, Webster decided to reward 24-year-old guard Alijah Martin for the flashes of potential he showed during his rookie season with the squad.
The young guard averaged 2.2 points, 0.9 rebounds, 0.5 assists and 0.2 blocks per game during limited minutes of action. However, what these figures alone fail to highlight is Martin's strongest suit--his shooting.
In a total of 23 games played, Martin averaged a 32% conversion rate from the field while going 15-for-19 from the free throw line.
His best night yet came on Jan. 11 during Toronto's 116-115 overtime victory over the Philadelphia 76ers in which he logged nine points, eight boards, four steals and two blocks in a season-high 30 minutes of play.
Martin went on to have a similar breakout performance in the squad's 139-87 blowout victory against the Orlando Magic on Mar. 29. He logged eight points and four rebounds while shooting 42.9% from the field.
Martin delivering in both games against key Eastern Conference rivals proved to be the driving factor behind the Raptors' decision on his future with the organization.
Head coach Darko Rajaković touted Martin for his willingness to adjust to whatever comes his way when addressing the media following the Orlando win.
"Those guys having experience with 9:05 coaching stuff, doing a great job there, players really accepting that and playing to that level, it really helps them when they reduce they can just go out there and execute to that high level, " he told reporters. "Kudos to AJ, kudos to Alijah."
Martin himself credited his teammates and coaching staff behind his successful transition to the NBA.
"Shout out to my teammates, man, they trust me out there on the island," he said. "Coaches trust me and I'm just going to keep on improving."
Even as Martin's Gator days are long gone, they, too, molded him into the rising player he is today. During his lone season with the program, he averaged a career-best 14.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.5 steals per game.
The fruits of his efforts have not only been an NCAA championship, but also decent financial security and a comfortable spot on a Raptors team looking to return to playoff excellence.
With the 2026 NBA Summer League on the horizon, expect Martin to hoop his way into a crucial role in Toronto's rotation in the upcoming 2026-27 season.
