Florida guard Alijah Martin goes early in NBA draft 2nd round, to Toronto

Edgar Thompson, Orlando Sentinel on Jun 26, 2025

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GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida guard Alijah Martin was positioned for a good night when the NBA invited him to the green room for the second round of the draft.

Martin didn’t have to wait too long Thursday night at the Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn, landing with the Toronto Raptors just nine picks into the second round in the No. 39 spot.

“It’s a bunch of emotions, excited, nervous,” Martin said in an interview ESPN following his selection. “Just ready to get to the next level.”

Undersized at 6-foot-2, but a strong and explosive 215 pounds, Martin’s role in the Gators’ national championship success along with strong workouts for NBA teams placed him in the second round of many mock drafts.

Martin’s backcourt mate and first-team All-American Walter Clayton Jr. was the 18th player selected Wednesday when Washington drafted him, and then immediately traded him to the Utah Jazz.

Yahoo Sports projected Martin to go No. 37 to the Detroit Pistons, describing Martin as “a hyper-athletic, high-energy guard who plays bigger than his size and impacts the game with his toughness, rebounding and defensive grit.”

The Web site had Martin higher than anyone, but was not far off its prediction about the versatile and tireless Mississippi native who helped FAU to the Final Four before he transferred in 2024 to UF, where he immediately and infused a new attitude on defense that was critical to a 36-win season and the school’s third national title.

Martin was second to Clayton averaging 14.4 points, to go with 4.5 rebounds a night, 56 total steals and the ability to handle the toughest defensive assignment on the perimeter.

Fellow Gators’ guard Will Richard hoped to now hear his name before the night was out.