Collin Murray-Boyles has had a solid start to his rookie campaign with the Toronto Raptors, and coach Darko Rajaković believes the ninth pick has lived up to expectations early on.

Murray-Boyles is averaging 6.8 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists while shooting 55.6% from the field in 25 appearances. He has scored in double figures eight times, including a season-high 19 points on Oct. 27 in a loss to the San Antonio Spurs.

The 20-year-old has played an integral role off the bench for the team, providing scoring and rebounding. He brings versatility to the lineup in the frontcourt and can offer floor spacing in spurts, converting 44.8% from beyond the arc (13-of-29).

“I think he is playing a very good rookie season,” Rajaković said. “I think he is doing a really good job, especially on the defensive end. He is really proving everything that we saw in him in the draft process, that he is very disruptive, physical (and) a good player that can play multiple positions. He can play 4 and 5, and he does a really good job of learning the league.”

Murray-Boyles was highly touted out of South Carolina because of his defensive intensity, post presence and ability to make plays for others. He also added a 3-point shot and has shown good progress with it through the first quarter of the season.

The 6-foot-7 forward has grasped the Raptors’ concepts well, impacting games at a high level on both ends of the court. Murray-Boyles brings great length, which allows him to protect the paint and get deflections, ranking fifth among rookies (2.3).

Murray-Boyles, like most rookies, is still adjusting to the physicality of the NBA, but the team has been encouraged by his early production. They were ecstatic to add him in the draft and will be eager to see him develop throughout the season.

“For young players, they have stretches where they play really well, they dip a little bit,” Rajaković said. “For him, and for young players in general, it is very important to learn how two good games, two bad games, two good games, two bad games, (and) how to make it three good, one bad; how to make it four good. He is going through that process right now, and I’m really proud of the way he is working, his attention to detail, and how he is really trying to help our team.”

Note: Sharif Phillips-Keaton of Nets Wire contributed to this story