Raptors select – Jaden Bradley was picked 50th overall by the Toronto Raptors in the second round of the NBA draft on Wednesday night, bringing a Big 12 defensive specialist profile to a team focused on improvement on that end. Bradley singled out Jamal Shead and Scottie Barne
Jaden Bradley’s first look at the Toronto Raptors came from afar. On Wednesday night, it became a lot closer.
The six-foot-three guard was selected 50th overall by the Raptors in the second round of the NBA draft. Within hours, Bradley was on a video conference call, talking through what he’s watched and what he’s hoping to step into.
“Definitely paying attention, obviously, to Jamal Shead, Scottie Barnes, the other guys as well,” Bradley said shortly after he was drafted. “They guard on the other end, I feel like that’s big. That wins games.”
For Bradley, Toronto’s defensive direction is personal. He sees it in players he already recognizes—and he carries a parallel into the league. Jamal Shead, a comparable Bradley pointed to, was taken 45th in 2024. Both were second-round picks and both earned a Big 12 Player of the Year award as defensive specialists.
Shead was honoured as a member of the Houston Cougars in 2024, while Bradley received the award this year with the Arizona Wildcats. Bradley also knows what Shead’s development path has looked like, having played against him at Houston.
“I played against Shead at Houston, so just to see his professional development, he was a monster in college, but he’s really turning it on offensively,” Bradley said. “(Shead’s) coming along, so just can’t wait to pick his brain, learn from some of the best.”
That competitiveness has been part of Bradley’s story since his college days. Over 39 games with Arizona last season—when the Wildcats finished 36-3 overall—he averaged 13.3 points, 4.4 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.4 steals. He also earned first team All-Big 12 recognition. was named to the conference’s all-defensive team. and was the Big 12 tournament’s MVP.
Bradley didn’t come into the draft without context for the NBA environment, either. He also said he faced Raptors forward Gradey Dick in NCAA basketball.
“(Shead’s) coming along,” Bradley added before turning back to what’s ahead, including the idea that Toronto can fit him into a role while he adjusts to the NBA game. “Kind of a similar role (in Toronto) but obviously there’s going to be some changes, so I’m just excited.”
Raptors assistant general manager Dan Tolzman framed Bradley’s value through experience, not just accolades. Tolzman pointed to Bradley as a four-year college standout who “rode out his entire eligibility,” and suggested the Raptors believe that maturity helps a rookie make the transition faster.
“He’s a perfect example of the four-year player who had a ton of success in college and rode out his entire eligibility and is a very accomplished player coming into the NBA. ” Tolzman said. “He’s going to be one of these guys that has pretty much seen it all. a little bit of a seasoned veteran as a rookie. “We’ve had a lot of success with those sorts of guys in the past.”.
Toronto’s draft night didn’t stop there. Tuesday’s first-round pick saw the Raptors take 19-year-old power forward Allen Graves with the 19th overall selection. Graves averaged 11.8 points. 6.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game for the Santa Clara Broncos last season. and he recorded 1.9 steals and 0.9 blocks per game in his only NCAA season.
Graves earned the West Coast Conference Freshman of the Year award and Sixth Man of the Year award.
Tolzman also said the Raptors plan to look beyond drafted players. Toronto will explore signing undrafted free agents, a process that begins immediately across the league.
“Every team is. and I know the guys are in the back working on it right now. just seeing who’s out there. ” Tolzman said from a video call at the OVO Athletic Centre. “So much of that is very much summer league and camp driven. like the two-way spots and those lower-tier roster spots that we have to just kind of prepare for the competitions with. “How that impacts the bigger team with like the 15-man roster, it’s kind of hard to say at this point.”.
For Bradley, the timing is clear: Toronto’s need is immediate, and his promise is built on defense. For a Raptors team that has been refining how it protects games, the 50th pick arrives with a skill set that starts on the other end — the place where games really get decided.
Toronto Raptors Jaden Bradley NBA Draft Arizona Wildcats Jamal Shead Scottie Barnes Gradey Dick Dan Tolzman Allen Graves NCAA basketball