Alijah Martin's hot start in G League play earned him a call-up with the Toronto Raptors and a spot among the NBA Rising Stars.
Alijah Martin Named Among NBA’s Rising Stars
Tuesday, January 27, 2026 | Men's Basketball
A national champion with the Florida Gators in 2025, Toronto Raptors rookie Alijah Martin has been named to the NBA's Rising Stars mini-tournament on Feb. 13 in Los Angeles as part of All-Star Weekend.
Martin will team up with high-impact G League players in the four-team event. Martin has averaged 18.7 points per game in 21 G League appearances with Raptors 905, including a 30-point outing.
The Summit, Miss., native earned a call-up to Toronto where he has made 10 appearances, highlighted by nine points, eight rebounds, four steals and two blocked shots in nearly 30 minutes of action in a win vs. the 76ers.
"Honestly, just trying to make an impact," Martin said following that Jan. 11 performance vs. Philadelphia. "Coming off the bench, knowing these guys need some help. We're down a couple bodies. I'm just trying to be a positive light."
Martin averaged 14.4 points and 4.5 rebounds for Florida in 2024-25, giving Gator fans a memorable fastbreak slam dunk in the Final Four vs. Auburn before knocking in the go-ahead free throws in the national championship game vs. Houston.
"I'm not surprised," Florida head coach Todd Golden told reporters on Tuesday. "He's very confident, and he always backs up how he feels. He's never scared on the floor…He's going to be a great competitor, and he's not going to be afraid regardless of who he's up against. The fact that in a short period of time, he's put himself in a position to play in that game, it's just not that surprising…He was a great competitor for us last year, and I think that's a big part of who he is."
2025-26 Florida Men's Basketball Tickets
Single-game tickets for all remaining 2025-26 Florida men's basketball home games are on sale. Fans are encouraged to secure tickets soon for marquee SEC weekend matchups, including Alabama (Feb. 1), Kentucky (Feb. 14), and Arkansas (Feb. 28), as only a limited number of seats are available. Tickets can be purchased at FloridaGators.com, by calling the Gator Ticket Office at (352) 375-4683, or in person at Gate 2 on the west side of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
Martin will team up with high-impact G League players in the four-team event. Martin has averaged 18.7 points per game in 21 G League appearances with Raptors 905, including a 30-point outing.
The Summit, Miss., native earned a call-up to Toronto where he has made 10 appearances, highlighted by nine points, eight rebounds, four steals and two blocked shots in nearly 30 minutes of action in a win vs. the 76ers.
"Honestly, just trying to make an impact," Martin said following that Jan. 11 performance vs. Philadelphia. "Coming off the bench, knowing these guys need some help. We're down a couple bodies. I'm just trying to be a positive light."
Martin averaged 14.4 points and 4.5 rebounds for Florida in 2024-25, giving Gator fans a memorable fastbreak slam dunk in the Final Four vs. Auburn before knocking in the go-ahead free throws in the national championship game vs. Houston.
"I'm not surprised," Florida head coach Todd Golden told reporters on Tuesday. "He's very confident, and he always backs up how he feels. He's never scared on the floor…He's going to be a great competitor, and he's not going to be afraid regardless of who he's up against. The fact that in a short period of time, he's put himself in a position to play in that game, it's just not that surprising…He was a great competitor for us last year, and I think that's a big part of who he is."
Earning his 1st Castrol Rising Stars selection... Alijah Martin of the @Raptors!@martin_alijah was drafted as the 39th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft out of Florida. pic.twitter.com/UIalwbeux9
— #NBAAllStar (@NBAAllStar) January 27, 2026
2025-26 Florida Men's Basketball Tickets
Single-game tickets for all remaining 2025-26 Florida men's basketball home games are on sale. Fans are encouraged to secure tickets soon for marquee SEC weekend matchups, including Alabama (Feb. 1), Kentucky (Feb. 14), and Arkansas (Feb. 28), as only a limited number of seats are available. Tickets can be purchased at FloridaGators.com, by calling the Gator Ticket Office at (352) 375-4683, or in person at Gate 2 on the west side of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
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