Tag: Keegan Murray

‘The kid is very special’: Keegan Murray impresses in Kings’ debut

Murray was viewed as one of the most NBA-ready prospects entering the draft, and the fourth pick showed why in his debut.

Keegan Murray was viewed as one of the most NBA-ready prospects entering the draft, and the Sacramento Kings rookie showed why in his debut game in the California Classic from San Francisco.

Murray produced 26 points and eight rebounds in a 86-68 victory over the Golden State Warriors. He went 10-of-14 from the field, including 4-of-5 from 3-point range, in 28 minutes of work as the Kings played their first of two games in the event.

Overall, Murray felt comfortable throughout his debut game.

I saw the first shot go in and that kinda sparked my confidence a little bit. Obviously, that helps a lot, especially in your first professional action. That first shot went in and I felt comfortable the rest of the way.

The game marked the first action for Murray after the Kings made him the fourth pick out of Iowa on June 23. He didn’t experience any butterflies taking the court and was just more excited to play in his first meaningful game in three months.

Murray drew high marks from Kings associate head coach Jordi Fernandez for his ability to process the game and make quick decisions that often resulted in the right play being made.

It seems like every time he does the right thing. He doesn’t force it. He makes it look simple. When you watch a professional athlete that whatever he does looks simple, that is usually a really good professional athlete. … Overall, I think the kid is very special. What we saw in college, I’m seeing right now. If I could bet, I’m going to say he is going to be a very good NBA player.

Of course, the results of summer league are often taken with a grain of salt but the team certainly has to be encouraged by the way Murray performed in his first game. He looked to pick up things quickly and that translated to a near double-double effort.

The early display by Murray certainly bodes well for the future as the Kings look to add a key piece to their roster. With the Kings heading off to Las Vegas next, there will be plenty of opportunities to see Murray in action and begin the transition to the NBA.

Sacramento plays the Miami Heat next at 5 p.m. EDT on Sunday.

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Iowa guard Payton Sandfort pegged for breakout season by CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein

CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein feels Payton Sandfort can emerge as one of Iowa men’s basketball’s best players in the 2022-23 season.

Is there a young Iowa guard flying under the radar?

While, yes, most of the attention for next year’s men’s basketball team is firmly placed on Kris Murray, CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein tweeted out about another potential breakout star for the Hawkeyes.

That breakout candidate is sophomore-to-be Payton Sandfort. The 6-foot-7 wing out of Waukee High School in Iowa earned praise from Rothstein following an inaugural campaign where he averaged five points and 1.9 rebounds per game in just 10.5 minutes of average floor time.

As demonstrated by Rothstein, Sandfort didn’t play a ton of minutes in the 2021-22 season. When on the court for extended periods of time, he looked like a guy Iowa could count on in the future. As Rothstein noted, Sandfort averaged 11.7 points per game in contests where he logged 15 or more minutes of floor time.

Hawkeye fans saw early in the season Sandfort’s potential against some tuneup opponents in early November. Sandfort scored a career-high 21 points against SWAC opponent Alabama State. He then dropped 19 the following game against Western Michigan, sinking five of his seven 3-point attempts.

His performance under the bright lights of the Big Ten Tournament was encouraging as well. In his 15 minutes of action against Northwestern in the tournament’s opening round, Sandfort scored 13 points and added three buckets from long range. Against Purdue in the conference championship game, he scored 10 points off the bench and didn’t miss a single shot.

There is a lot of hope for a big sophomore breakout from Sandfort this upcoming year, and it would really boost Iowa’s chances of repeating as Big Ten Tournament champions. Iowa lost some key contributors this offseason. Recent No. 4 overall 2023 NBA draft selection Keegan Murray is the obvious one, but Jordan Bohannon started for about a half-decade.

The hope is that Kris Murray can follow in the footsteps of his twin brother, Patrick McCaffery can live up to some of the preseason love he’s garnered and then Iowa can find production in other places as well.

Sandfort showed a lot of potential as a shooter coming off the bench his freshman year, and those key performances in the Big Ten Tournament are very exciting. If he can take his game to another level, his partnership with Murray alongside a returning Patrick McCaffrey and Filip Rebraca could take Iowa back into the 2023 NCAA Tournament.

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Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Fran McCaffery refutes Keegan Murray’s low ceiling label

Iowa head men’s basketball coach Fran McCaffery pushed back against the notion that former Hawkeye star Keegan Murray has a low ceiling.

Many saw Iowa forward Keegan Murray as the high-floor, low-ceiling type of prospect. Just don’t let Iowa head men’s basketball coach Fran McCaffery hear that, though.

“Anybody who would bring that up is not worth listening to because they clearly don’t know anything about the game,” McCaffery said in a recent interview with Locked on Kings.

McCaffery didn’t mince words one bit defending his former star against anyone that would downplay Murray’s potential.

“It’s as idiotic of a statement as I’ve ever heard. Clearly, you are making a statement about who you are talking about. Because, if you do your homework, you would know that’s not the case,” McCaffery said.

There was a mixed reaction from fans on social media after Murray went No. 4 overall in the 2023 NBA draft to the Sacramento Kings. Many saw Purdue guard Jaden Ivey as a better prospect with a higher ceiling.

Ivey’s an extremely athletic guard in the mold of a Ja Morant. While he might not have the greatest floor with his 3-point shot still needing development and his turnovers remain a bit of a problem, many viewed his ceiling being as high as anyone’s in this draft and better than Murray’s.

McCaffery would not put down now-Detroit Piston Jaden Ivey to prop up Murray.

“I’m a big Jaden Ivey fan. I’ve coached against him for two years. I know his mother well. We were at Notre Dame together. I was an assistant coach, she was playing and coaching. I think the world of him,” McCaffery said.

He did say Murray was most likely a better fit for the Kings’ current roster, a point Hawkeyes Wire explored on draft night. With point guard De’Aaron Fox there, Ivey would have been an extremely similar player. He’s not a carbon copy at all, but both are explosive guards who can drive to the hoop. The Kings needed a secondary scorer from the wing who could shoot and play defense.

“He plays both ends, he doesn’t make mistakes, he makes plays for his teammates, he fits with his teammates, and he consistently performs. I think the hardest part for any general manager is to try and predict just how consistently a guy will be able to perform for 82 games. That is so incredibly hard to do. But I can promise you, Keegan Murray will be able to consistently perform for over 100 games,” McCaffery said.

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Kings’ Keegan Murray explains future fit with Fox, Sabonis

Murray hasn’t been with the Kings for very long but is already beginning to think about the possibilities with his new teammates.

Keegan Murray hasn’t been with the Sacramento Kings for very long, but the former Iowa forward is already beginning to think about the possibilities with his new teammates.

The Kings took Murray fourth in the NBA draft on Thursday and view him as a key addition to the roster. The team zeroed in on Murray early in the process and was said to have him high on its radar heading into the draft this week.

Murray will join a core group that features De’Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis, Harrison Barnes and Davion Mitchell among others. He believes he fits in well with Fox and Sabonis and can’t wait to get to work with them in the coming months.

I think my versatility plays a factor in playing alongside both of them, being able to cut to the basket, read what Sabonis is doing in the post and things like that. I feel like that obviously takes time and chemistry but I’m just excited to be able to play off Fox, a dynamic point guard. He is a guy that can create his own shot and create for other guys. I feel like with my ability with catch-and-shoot 3s and playing on the perimeter will expand their games even more.

Murray was named an All-American after averaging 23.5 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.9 blocks, 1.5 assists and 1.3 steals on 39.8% shooting from 3-point range. He was the top scorer in the country (822) and helped Iowa to the Big Ten title, earning MVP honors.

He proved more than just a scorer, though. He joined Kevin Durant (2007) as the only two Division I players to record at least 800 points, 60 blocked shots and 60 3-pointers in a single season. He also led all players in the country in PER at 37.8.

Murray is viewed as perhaps the most complete player in the draft and projects to have a smooth transition to the next level. Certainly, playing next to such established players like Fox and Sabonis will help.

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Why the Iowa Hawkeyes’ Keegan Murray fits in perfectly with the Sacramento Kings

Keegan Murray is now the highest-selected Iowa Hawkeye in its NBA draft history. How does he fit in with a Sacramento team trying to win?

Keegan Murray is officially the highest-drafted Iowa Hawkeye in school history!

Iowa’s first-ever top-five selection, Murray was drafted No. 4 overall by a Sacramento Kings team trying desperately to right the ship. Without a winning season in 15 years, the Kings made a win-now move last year by trading for All-Star big man Domantas Sabonis.

While they gave up budding star guard Tyrese Haliburton, the hope is that point guard De’Aaron Fox and Sabonis can form an elite partnership. Keegan Murray looks to be a strong third option on the Kings.

Sacramento is one of the best landing spots for Murray. As a player, Murray is definitely a high-floor guy. He is one of the most well-rounded players in the draft, proficient in most areas.

Last year, Murray became just the second Division I player in history to amass more than 800 points, 60 blocks, and 60 3-pointers in a single season. The Cedar Rapids, Iowa, native joined Kevin Durant in that distinction. He can knock them down from behind the arc, shooting 39.8% from 3-point range. With his size, Murray can be a good secondary rebounder and can guard the No. 1 through No. 4 positions.

While he’s pretty good in most areas, Murray doesn’t necessarily have one trump card at the moment. His best attribute is probably his scoring and his shooting in particular, but he doesn’t really project to be a No. 1 scoring option on a team. Murray’s best role is being the reliable third option who can provide shooting, some secondary perimeter scoring, and just really be a glue guy. This is what makes him the perfect player for Sacramento here.

Many will see passing up on Purdue point guard Jaden Ivey as a mistake, but Ivey doesn’t really fit the Kings currently. Ivey is a pretty ball-dominant guard, sort of clashing with Fox’s game.

Don’t forget that Sacramento already shipped Haliburton, a rising star, to clear up the backcourt. Don’t forget about Davion Mitchell either. The Kings already have their go-to guys in Fox and Sabonis. What they really need is that reliable third option. That’s where Murray fits in.

The Kings were a rough defensive team last year, ranking near the bottom of the league. Murray is a ready-now prospect who should provide some solid defense right away.

Small forward Harrison Barnes actually shot well from 3-point distance last year, hitting 39% of his shots on just under five attempts a game. Besides him, there really isn’t another reliable shooter on the roster now that Buddy Hield is gone. Murray will provide more spacing from the four, really allowing Fox and Sabonis to do their work inside.

Many will be upset that Sacramento did not shoot for a star here, but that isn’t necessarily what they need. They brought in their star in Domantas Sabonis. They needed a good third option, and that’s exactly what Murray can be. Sacramento strongly declared that they were trying to contend with their trade for Sabonis. Drafting a ready-now forward like Keegan Murray further backs that sentiment.

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Kings take Keegan Murray No. 4

Shams Charania: Sources: Kings pick Keegan Murray at No. 4. Source: Twitter @ShamsCharania What’s the buzz on Twitter? Sean Cunningham @ SeanCunningham Keegan Murray values the experience he’ll be walking into with the Sacramento Kings. He reminds …

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Sean Cunningham @SeanCunningham
Keegan Murray values the experience he’ll be walking into with the Sacramento Kings. He reminds folks or the chip he plays with, being an unranked recruit going to Iowa and here he is being selected 4th in the NBA Draft. – 8:50 PM
Sean Cunningham @SeanCunningham
Keegan Murray on Harrison Barnes, a fellow Iowa native (Ames) says it’ll be special to be his teammate with the Sacramento Kings. – 8:48 PM
Sean Cunningham @SeanCunningham
Kings draft pick Keegan Murray says Mike Brown and Sacramento are all about winning and that’s the emphasis as he steps in alongside Domantas Sabonis and De’Aaron Fox. – 8:48 PM
Mark Deeks @MarkDeeksNBA
Keegan Murray might not have the upside of the top three, but the floor just got raised. Double-digit scorer from day one. – 8:36 PM
Kevin O’Connor @KevinOConnorNBA
Keegan Murray is a super versatile on-ball defender who can handle wings and bigs, and possibly serve as a small-ball center. Great fit as a finisher on offense next to creators like De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis in the Kings frontcourt.
Full report: https://t.co/1JI739CQH5 pic.twitter.com/PI1GmAcdcX – 8:32 PM

Chris Mannix @SIChrisMannix
Kings have to hit on Keegan Murray. Have to. That No. 4 slot was tricky. Lot of talent (Jaden Ivey, Dyson Daniels, etc.) in that range. Kings need Murray to be the best of the bunch — and fit in with the Fox/Sabonis core. – 8:30 PM
Matt George @MattGeorgeSAC
Keegan Murray gives the Sacramento Kings a better chance of making the playoffs right away then Jaden Ivey does.
Jaden Ivey has the higher ceiling, but not by much. And based on college production, Keegan Murray is BPA.
Needless to say, I like the pick. – 8:29 PM
CBS NBA @CBSSportsNBA
2022 NBA Draft grades: Sacramento Kings select Keegan Murray with No. 4 overall pick
cbssports.com/nba/news/2022-… – 8:29 PM
Nate Duncan @NateDuncanNBA
Keegan Murray isn’t the highest upside guy, but his transition and off-ball scoring game is a perfect offensive fit with Fox and Sabonis. – 8:28 PM
Synergy Sports Tech @SynergySST
Keegan Murray had one of the three most efficient offensive seasons for a volume scorer in modern college basketball history as a sophomore at Iowa. pic.twitter.com/BXPxUVwT66 – 8:28 PM

TJ McBride @TJMcBrideNBA
Good on the Kings for grabbing Keegan Murray and picking their guy even with Jaden Ivey on the board. He will fit very well with Sabonis and Fox.
Now Detroit gets their guy in Jaden Ivey. – 8:28 PM
Mark Medina @MarkG_Medina
The Sacramento Kings select Keegan Murray with the No. 4 pick. No pressure, but Kings in win-now mode after not having a playoff appearance since 2006 – 8:28 PM
Jason Anderson @JandersonSacBee
The Sacramento Kings have selected Keegan Murray with the No. 4 pick in the NBA draft. – 8:28 PM
James Ham @James_HamNBA
With the No. 4 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, the Sacramento Kings select Keegan Murray. – 8:27 PM
Sean Cunningham @SeanCunningham
The Sacramento Kings select Iowa’s Keegan Murray with the 4th pick of the NBA Draft. – 8:27 PM
Justin Kubatko @jkubatko
Keegan Murray is the highest #NBADraft pick in Iowa history.
Fred Brown had previously held the honor, having been selected sixth overall in 1971. pic.twitter.com/89GwrOkCqs – 8:27 PM

Steve Popper @StevePopper
The Kings did not do the Kings sort of thing and held the pick – and took a player who fits their roster and was willing to be there in Keegan Murray. So about that fifth pick with Ivey still on the board… – 8:27 PM
Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS
To be clear I like Keegan Murray and think he’ll do well in Sacramento.
But Jaden Ivey is better and this is bad process from the Kings. At the very least trade down with Detroit and get something to do this. – 8:27 PM
Scott Agness @ScottAgness
Pacers were very high on Keegan Murray. Very possible Jaden Ivey falls to the Pacers at 6. Have heard the Pistons aren’t sold on him. – 8:26 PM
Alex Kennedy @AlexKennedyNBA
The Kings are reportedly taking Keegan Murray at No. 4. @Matt Babcock and @DMurrayHoops called this, updating their mock draft to reflect this earlier today: twitter.com/i/spaces/1lPKq… – 8:26 PM
Adrian Wojnarowski @wojespn
The Kings are focused on Iowa’s Keegan Murray at No. 4, source tells ESPN. – 8:24 PM
Jason Anderson @JandersonSacBee
The Sacramento Kings will select Keegan Murray with the No. 4 pick in the NBA draft, per Shams Charania. – 8:24 PM
Chris Haynes @ChrisBHaynes
Sacramento Kings are selecting Keegan Murray with the No. 4 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, league sources tell @YahooSports. – 8:24 PM
Shams Charania @ShamsCharania
Sources: Kings pick Keegan Murray at No. 4. – 8:24 PM
Jason Anderson @JandersonSacBee
Sounds like Jabari Smith Jr. will go to the Houston Rockets at No. 3, leaving the Kings with their choice of Jaden Ivey, Keegan Murray, etc. – 8:19 PM
Omari Sanfoka II @omarisankofa
Stuck with Keegan Murray as my pick for the Pistons in my final mock draft, though there’s a real chance they go with Bennedict Mathurin as well
freep.com/story/sports/n… – 12:13 PM
James Boyd @RomeovilleKid
Top four betting odds for the #Pacers’ No. 6 pick in order, per FanDuel and DraftKings are:
— #Arizona’s Bennedict Mathurin
— #Iowa’s Keegan Murray
— G League Ignite’s Dyson Daniels
— #BBN’s Shaedon Sharpe
So, who will the Pacers pick and why? Please RT when you’re done voting! – 10:01 AM
James Boyd @RomeovilleKid
#Iowa star, potential #Pacers pick Keegan Murray unbothered by criticism of upside, age
“I feel like my ceiling is as high as anyone else in the draft.” indystar.com/story/sports/n… – 9:44 AM
James Boyd @RomeovilleKid
#Iowa star Keegan Murray meets with #Pacers ahead of draft: ‘I think it would be a great fit’ indystar.com/story/sports/n… – 12:01 AM

More on this storyline

 

Matt George: Keegan Murray is the Kings’ guy. They explored offers & didn’t find one that fit their asking price. So they went & got their guy. The Murray/Ivey conversation is going to continue all offseason and probably next season. I truly don’t think this is a move the Kings will regret. -via Twitter @MattGeorgeSAC / June 23, 2022
Plenty of teams are chasing the Kings’ No. 4 pick, and Sacramento has certainly been listening. But I’m not as confident as some seem to be that the pick ultimately moves: looking around the league, it’s tricky to identify the right type of package that would ultimately entice the Kings to come off their spot. The sense I get is that Sacramento likes the draft and may not want to move back especially far, and it’s hard to see a combination of veterans and desirable draft positioning that seems appealing. If the Kings stay at No. 4, Keegan Murray seems to be the likely choice. The Pacers and Spurs also covet Murray, and the Knicks and Wizards have been linked to Ivey in trade-up scenarios. -via Sports Illustrated / June 22, 2022
The Sacramento Kings — owners of the No. 4 pick — are high on Keegan Murray and even arranged for the prospect to have dinner with team stars De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis, league sources told Yahoo Sports. If Murray does slip outside of the top five, sources said he likely wouldn’t make it past Portland at No. 7. -via Yahoo! Sports / June 20, 2022

 

Keegan Murray drafted No. 4 overall by the Sacramento Kings

Keegan Murray was selected No. 4 overall by the Sacramento Kings, becoming the highest-ever draft selection in Hawkeyes NBA draft history.

After a historic sophomore season in Iowa City, former Iowa Hawkeyes forward Keegan Murray made more history in the 2022 NBA draft. Murray was drafted No. 4 overall by the Sacramento Kings, becoming the highest-ever selection in Iowa’s program history and the Hawkeyes’ first first-round pick since Ricky Davis in 1998.

It makes sense why the Pistons fell in love with what they saw from Murray. The 6-foot-8, 225 pound forward just polished off a season where he led all Power Five players with a scoring average of 23.5 points per game. He also finished second in the Big Ten in rebounding, hauling in 8.7 boards per night.

With his size and length, Murray is a natural to defend the No. 1 through No. 4 positions comfortably at the next level. He also knocked down 39.8% of his 3-pointers this past season, a trait that modern NBA teams love.

In addition, Murray became just the second Division I player in history to amass more than 800 points, 60 blocks, and 60 3-pointers in a single season. The Cedar Rapids, Iowa, native joined Kevin Durant in that distinction.

Murray was the 2021-22 season’s Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year and a consensus first-team All-American. He was also a finalist for the John R. Wooden Award, the Naismith Trophy, the Lute Olson Award and the Lefty Driesell Award.

Murray was honored as the Naismith Trophy National Player of the Week on Feb. 14 and a six-time Big Ten Player of the Week. He is one of only three Big Ten players to earn at least six Big Ten Player of the Week honors since the weekly award was introduced prior to the 1981-82 season, joining Ohio State’s Evan Turner in 2009-10 and Purdue’s Caleb Swanigan in 2016-17.

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A brutal ESPN graphic reminded Kings fans about their recent terrible NBA draft history

Congratulations to whoever picks immediately after the Kings.

It’s been a long time since the Kings were an NBA team worth writing home about. Since 2006, Sacramento has enjoyed 16 straight losing seasons (!). If that just sounds like a remarkable streak of consistent poor fortune, it’s not. The Kings are a seemingly permanent cellar-dweller because they almost always make the wrong decision.

Nowhere is Sacramento’s decision-making arguably worse than in the draft. That’s a fact that ESPN thought to broadcast wide and far in preview coverage of Thursday’s NBA Draft. How, you might ask? By highlighting the All-Star level players the Kings passed over in the last approximate decade.

It’s as brutal as it sounds:

Oh. My. Goodness. Read from the bottom and it gets progressively worse. Read from the top and you’re left wondering what the Luka Doncic-Damian Lillard-Klay Thompson Kings could’ve accomplished. Oh well!

For what’s it worth, our Bryan Kalbrosky has Keegan Murray going to Sacramento at No. 4 overall in his final mock draft. Here’s a hearty congratulations to the absolute lock of a superstar the Pistons are probably about to draft right after them at No. 5 overall.

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Final 2022 NBA mock draft projections for Iowa Hawkeyes’ Keegan Murray

It’s 2022 NBA draft night. Keegan Murray could become the highest pick in Iowa Hawkeyes history. Where do all the experts see him going?

The 2022 NBA draft is finally here, and it looks to be a great one for Iowa fans. After a historic sophomore season, forward Keegan Murray could potentially be the highest-ever drafted Hawkeye in the NBA, pushing for the top five.

Teams have been impressed with his scoring ability and gritty style of play. He might not be the most athletic prospect in the draft, and his defense might still need a bit of work, but he can have a day-one impact. In this list, we take a look at the final 2022 NBA mock draft projections and where they see Murray winding up.