The Toronto Raptors picked Malachi Flynn, who led San Diego State during their standout 2019-20 basketball season, as the 29th selection in Wednesday’s NBA draft.

Some mock drafts had projected the former Aztec as a late first-round pick and experts said he had “moved up draft boards rapidly.”

Flynn, in a pre-draft interview with ESPN, said he watches long-time NBA star Chris Paul’s style of play. He said a team that drafted him would get someone who is “good at scoring at all three levels, whether it’s (shooting) a three, (from) a mid-range or getting to the hoop.”

Minnesota, Golden State and Charlotte held the draft’s first three picks:

  • The Timberwolves selected Anthony Edwards from the University of Georgia.
  • The Warriors picked James Wiseman from the University of Memphis.
  • The Hornets chose LaMelo Ball, who played professional ball in Australia.

On April 17, following his junior season, Flynn, a Tacoma, Wash., native, declared himself eligible for the NBA draft and hired an agent, ending his college eligibility.

In 32 games, all starts, the Washington State transfer led the Aztecs to the 2019-20 Mountain West regular-season championship, the program’s conference-record 12th title.

Flynn averaged 17.6 points, 5.1 assists and 4.5 rebounds in 33.5 minutes per game. He added 56 steals and three blocks in 1,072 total minutes on the floor.

He ranked first in the Mountain West in assists, assist-to-turnover ratio and steals, third in scoring and free-throw percentage and fifth in field-goal percentage and three-point field goals.

Flynn was named a second-team All-American, joining SDSU Hall of Famers Michael Cage and Kawhi Leonard as the third consensus All-American in program history.

He also became the third SDSU athlete to receive the Mountain West Player of the Year award.

SDSU finished the season with a 30-2 record. The Aztecs set team records for consecutive wins and wins to open a season with 26. They also became the last undefeated team in the nation.

– Staff and wire reports