NBA Draft: Toronto Raptors add second Palm Beach County native with first pick of Day 2

Another Palm Beach County native has joined the roster of the Toronto Raptors.

Forest Hill alumnus Jonathan Mogbo was the first pick on Day 2 of the 2024 NBA Draft. One of four rookies taken by Toronto on Thursday, Mogbo, 22, is set to join fellow local standout and 2024 All-Star Scottie Barnes in Canada.

The former San Francisco forward went 31st overall before anticipated first-rounders Kyle Filipowski of Duke and Johnny Furphy of Kansas.

Per expectations, LeBron James' son, Bronny James, potentially joining his dad in Los Angeles dominated much of the buzz surrounding the second round. And the Lakers did select Bronny with the 55th pick.

However, Mogbo's West Palm Beach stomping grounds could make arguments for there to be conversations about Toronto securing the Sacramento deal that made the pick possible only 30 minutes prior to his selection.

Or how he defied analysts' projections only to leave local draft-watchers pleasantly surprised.

No. 31 pick turned heads in high school:Forest Hill puts on a show in win over Hallandale with 15 points, 8 assists and seven steals for Mogbo

More locals look to make it big:Charlie Woods qualifies for next month's U.S. Junior Amateur at Oakland Hills, Michigan

Mogbo beating odds as first pick on Day 2 of NBA Draft

ESPN determined Mogbo would go 41st to the 76ers. The Ringer believed he'd go 44th to the Rockets. Yahoo Sports and NBADraft.net were close but no cigar, anticipating Mogbo would get taken at No. 39 by the Grizzlies and No. 33 to the Bucks, respectively. And The Athletic had him going to the Hornets at No. 42.

Alas, national media didn't account for how Mogbo's childhood ties in Toronto could shift the odds.

Mogbo joins fellow West Palm Beach basketball star Scottie Barnes

Old pals will be reunited once again now that Mogbo is set to join a freshly-extended Barnes and the Raptors.

Beating the pause that the COVID-19 pandemic put on high school sports, both led their high school teams on historic runs as seniors in 2020. Mogbo navigated his squad at Forest Hill through its best season to date, winning 22 consecutive games to reach a first-ever 7A state final four appearance. Barnes was following up a milestone 5A state championship at Fort Lauderdale's NSU University School as a junior with a perfect 25-0 run during his one-and-only year at Montverde Academy.

In 2021, after helping Florida State to the ACC Championship Game and earning ACC Freshman of the Year honors, Barnes gave up the rest of his college eligibility and declared for the draft. The Raptors took him fourth overall.

Regardless of who Barnes hit the floor for, his roots remained in West Palm Beach, where his varsity career began at Cardinal Newman. Precisely why he was in attendance for Mogbo's draft party alongside Forest Hill-turned-Atlantic High basketball coach Tony Watson on Thursday.

Barnes and Mogbo same age, but with starkly different journeys

Compared to Barnes, the journey Mogbo encountered en route to the league offered a few more detours.

Despite being Watson's first NBA draft pick, Mogbo didn't have a single Division I offer coming out of his coach's program at the Hill.

Before Mogbo's final college season at San Francisco, he had already been part of four other programs: Missouri State, Northeastern Oklahoma A&M, and Independence (Kansas) Community College.

He cashed in on his potential on his lone run with the Dons, averaging a double-double and nabbing newcomer of the year for the West Coast Conference. At Missouri State − not to mention the NBA Combine − his 6-foot-6 frame, complemented by an unreal 7-foot-2 wingspan, helped prove he had the measurables and the ceiling to perform in the NBA.

Mogbo's improved stat-line at San Francisco solidified it on paper. Honing in on his craft from three-point range saw his shooting percentage boost from 58.9 percent in 2022-23 to 63.6 percent last season.

While helping the Dons post a 25-11 record and advance to the NIT, Mogbo averaged 14.2 points, 10.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.6 steals and 0.8 blocks in 28.9 minutes per game.

Now, the sky is the limit for Mogbo. And there's a good chance he can reach it.

Emilee Smarr is a sports reporter for the Palm Beach Post. She can be reached via email at esmarr@gannett.com.