Alijah Martin

Alijah Martin played five years of college basketball. He spent the first four years of college with Florida Atlantic and was a regular starter in his final three seasons with the Owls. He averaged 13.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.6 steals per game as a senior in 2023-24 with FAU, but instead of making the jump to the pro ranks, he took advantage of an extra year of college eligibility to join Florida. Martin started in all but two of his 38 appearances while playing a prominent role in the Gators' 2024-25 National Championship campaign. Martin averaged 14.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.5 steals per game in his lone year with Florida. Martin is known as a player who can make a significant impact across the board due to his athleticism, but he's at his best when wreaking havoc on the defensive end. He's a high-energy guard who plays bigger than his size and impacts the game with his toughness, rebounding and defensive grit. He can make an impact with his shooting, but he needs to gain some consistency as a 3-point shooter to have a reliable weapon on offense, and his lack of size is also an issue. Martin stands at 6-foot-2, but he plays as a wing despite having the size of a point guard. Martin's tweener status, streaky shooting and limited creation ability complicate his ability to carve out a specialized role. However, in a best-case scenario, he can be a disruptive defensive threat who can impact offensively with his long-range shooting. Martin stands out due to his athleticism, energy and toughness, but he also lacks a consistent jumper and is likely to begin his career as a role player off the bench rather than a go-to option at the next level. A potential second-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, Martin has drawn comparisons to defensive-minded wings such as De'Anthony Melton and Herb Jones.