Toronto Raptors sign Chucky Hepburn to contract after 2025 NBA Draft

Chucky Hepburn had been a productive college guard, leading to a career-best season as a senior after transferring. Now, that’s led him into the league after the NBA Draft.

The Toronto Raptors are signing Hepburn to an undrafted free agent following the 2025 NBA Draft, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported. That news came shortly after the second rounded ended on Thursday.

Hepburn played four seasons, starting in all of the 137 appearances which he made, at Wisconsin and Louisville. He would average 11.5 points (40.6% FG, 35.3% 3PT on 1.5 makes), 3.7 assists, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.8 steals per game for the Badgers and Cardinals.

He would play a good three seasons in Madison, being named Big Ten All-Freshman and once as Big Ten All-Defense. However, after transferring, Hepburn had the best year of his career, posting 16.4 points (43.2% FG, 32.8% 3PT on 1.9 makes), 5.8 assists, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.4 steals in being First Team All-ACC and ACC Defensive Player of the Year, for Louisville. That would lead the Cardinals to a 27-8 record, one of their best in recent history in year one under Pat Kelsey, and an appearance both in the ACC Championship and one in a return to the NCAA Tournament.

Hepburn is an Omaha, Nebraska native. He would play his high school basketball at Bellevue West.

What NBA Draft experts are saying about Hepburn

On3’s James Fletcher likes what Hepburn and what he can be immediately on defense in the NBA. He recently wrote he’s one of “a few defense-first two-way options I value” in this draft class.

RotoWire.com noted that defense, as well as more of his playmaking and three-point shooting, as well in their own draft profile for Hepburn. They project him potentially running a unit from off the bench with his work defensively being what’ll get him early minutes in the association.

“Hepburn’s motor and elite defensive instincts put him on NBA radars, but he’s also a capable point guard who rarely turned the ball over at Wisconsin. Despite having the ball in his hands often and dishing out 3.9 assists per game as a junior, Hepburn never averaged more than 1.5 turnovers per game in three seasons as a Badger. He’s also a capable shooter, knocking down 35.3% of his career 3s,” they wrote. “Hepburn is undersized and won’t be an exceptional athlete at the NBA level, but he’s a proven winner and willing to fill a role.”

“Hepburn can run an NBA second unit and play hard defense,” they wrote.