Despite being a key player on a National Championship-winning Florida Gator team, Alijah Martin was a bit of a sleeper NBA prospect. He wasn't selected until the 39th overall pick and signed a two-way contract with the Toronto Raptors -- one that forces him to split time between the NBA and G League.
Those who slept on him are wide awake after Friday's showstopping highlight slam in Toronto's Summer League opener.
CLEAR THE RUNWAY FOR ALIJAH MARTIN 🤯
— NBA (@NBA) July 12, 2025
BIG-TIME SUMMER SLAM FROM THE 2025 DRAFTEE! pic.twitter.com/zcCq5HEvy4
The Raptors X admin even couldn't stop admiring the play, offering a second angle on the replay of the one-handed jam.
THE REPLAY EVEN BETTER CHAT. CHILLLLLLLL @martin_alijah 😱 https://t.co/6dcHbfgpIB pic.twitter.com/a5PEbbvlRZ
— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) July 12, 2025
He had Raptors fans even more hyped.
ALIJAH MARTIN POSTER WOWW
— Dillon (@g0neLifting) July 12, 2025
Alijah Martin with no regards for human life.
— BaxterCan (@MrPerfectSonic) July 12, 2025
Alijah Martin my LORD
— Zulfi Sheikh (@zulfi_sheikh) July 12, 2025
And reporters too.
So, yeah... Alijah Martin can fly. He just ended some dude. His first NBA poster. Won't be his last.
— Josh Lewenberg (@JLew1050) July 12, 2025
Shut it down, let's go home. Raptors rookie Alijah Martin with the first poster dunk of his NBA career. pic.twitter.com/gJjpDUukTl
— William Lou (@william_lou) July 12, 2025
Lord have mercy Alijah Martin really is an insane athlete 😭
— Ryan Hammer🔨 (@ryanhammer09) July 12, 2025
Feel like he would be an amazing free safety pic.twitter.com/yiIE2ljcq0
But for those familiar with Martin at the collegiate level, the poster dunk didn't come as much of a surprise.
Was just talking 2 mins before about how he goes for dunks that don’t seem possible
— Robbie “No-Go” Blakman (@robbieblakman29) July 12, 2025
Alijah Martin making another UNREAL poster looking way too easy pic.twitter.com/sn91uYDxsz
— Adam Avin (@_adamavin) July 12, 2025
And it seems like Martin thought the fans were chanting his name because he went right back out there for an encore, attempting to bring the house down with an even crazier dunk.
Alijah Martin almost caught another body. This brother is different. pic.twitter.com/fdW8tEbFE3
— Libaan Osman (@libaanstar1) July 12, 2025
While he couldn't slam home his second poster dunk of the contest, it was a stellar debut for the former Gator.
Martin finished the contest with 16 points, five rebounds, five assists, and two steals in just 21 minutes, flashing the all-around skill set that Florida fans saw all year.
While one game into Summer League action is certainly too soon to draw any conclusions about Martin's future in the NBA, it's difficult to not get excited about his prospects after Friday's performance.
If he can continue to produce at a similar level, the Raptors may have gotten a steal with the 39th overall pick -- something Gator fans knew on draft night.
Martin will be back in action Sunday for Toronto's second game in the Las Vegas Summer League, when the Raptors face off against the Magic at 6:00 pm EST on ESPN2 and ESPN+.