Keegan Murray to earn first NBA start against Memphis Grizzlies

Hawkeye Insider David Eickholt was flabbergasted during Keegan Murray’s NBA debut, as I’m sure we all were. Murray looked like a seventh-year veteran, and looked as though he transitioned his game from college without a hitch.

One game had not been in the books officially yet, but Eickholt had seen enough as he emphatically informed Twitter.

“Keegan Murray being brought off the bench is a joke,” Eickholt tweeted, most likely in a huff while vigorously shaking his head.

After just two games, the Sacramento Kings agree. Head coach Mike Brown announced today that Keegan Murray will start Sacramento’s home game against the Grizzlies on Thursday night. The Kings’ fan base responded with glee in the comments at the prospect of Murray finally getting his shot, some even happier at the idea of KZ Okpala seeing the bench (ouch.)

Coach Brown say Keegan Murray will start tomorrow against the Grizzlies 👑

— Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) October 26, 2022

This is pretty much just a formality at this point. Keegan Murray has essentially been starting for the Kings over the past two games, actually leading Sacramento in minutes per game with 35.5 this season. I don’t know why, but for us sports fans it means a lot more when they are announced as a starter and are out there for the opening tip rather than three minutes later.

It is a good sign that the Kings realize what’s clearly in front of their eyes with Murray. He doesn’t really need to be hand-held to start his NBA career. While many knocked his age coming out of the 2022 NBA draft, it has certainly helped with his quick transition to the league.

Though a small sample size, Murray looks exactly like the player many hoped he’d be for the Kings. He’s shot the ball really well and has managed to integrate himself to the offense pretty seamlessly. We’ll see if being out there for the opening tip makes any difference to Keegan Murray’s game.

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