Tag: Keegan Murray

Jabari Smith Jr., Keegan Murray among rookies to sign with Adidas

Jabari Smith Jr. and Keegan Murray were among 14 rookies to sign endorsement contracts with Adidas.

Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. and Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray were among 12 rookies who had signed endorsement contracts with Adidas, the apparel company announced on Thursday.

This is the largest draft class ever for Adidas and features 11 first-round picks and six lottery selections. The players have worn the Three Stripes for the majority of the season as endorsing athletes.

Related: Holmgren, Ivey among 14 rookies to sign with Nike

They join a talented roster of players signed to Adidias that includes James Harden, Candace Parker, Damian Lillard, Chiney Ogwumike, Anthony Edwards and Donovan Mitchell.

Here are the 12 rookies that signed with Adidas this season.

Rookie Power Rankings: Paolo Banchero claims the top spot again

Rookie Wire took a look at the top first-year players over the last two weeks of the 2022-23 season.

After some bumps and bruises, the top of the current rookie class looks back on track and performing at a high level over the past two weeks.

Several high draft picks recently experienced some minor setbacks with injury or on-court struggles, but appear to have gotten back on track and are impressing once again. Elsewhere, others selected later in the draft are also putting up strong performances.

To make sense of it all, we took a look at the best recent performances of these first-year players and ranked them in the latest edition of the Rookie Wire Power Rankings. The rankings are not for Rookie of the Year purposes but, rather, to illustrate the best players week to week.

Kings’ Keegan Murray breaks out of recent shooting slump in big way

Murray looks to be breaking out of a recent shooting slump from 3-point range.

Keegan Murray had a career night shooting on Friday and hit a clutch shot late to help the Sacramento Kings defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers on the road.

Murray produced 18 points, two rebounds, one steal and one blocked shot in the 106-95 win at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. He scored all 18 of his points from the 3-point line, finishing 6-of-8 from beyond the arc in 30 minutes.

The fourth pick sealed the win after knocking down a triple to give the Kings a six-point lead with 1:22 left to play. The shot came during a 19-0 run by the Kings to end the game. They trailed 95-87 at the 4:50 mark of the fourth quarter.

The six 3-pointers by Murray were a career-high and are tied for the most by a rookie in a game this season. The outing continued a strong run by Murray as the 22-year-old looks to be breaking out of a recent shooting slump.

Murray was averaging 7.3 points and 4.3 rebounds on 16.1% (5-of-31) shooting from 3-point range in seven games from Nov. 15-30. Over his last four games, Murray is posting 16.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, one steal and one block on 55.6% (15-of-27) shooting from beyond the arc.

The recent play certainly encapsulates a typical rookie season that includes normal hot and cold stretches. Murray appears to be reverting to the play that created his quick start to the season, which would be a welcomed development by the team.

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Kings rookie Keegan Murray’s injury not considered to be serious

Murray suffered the injury early in the second quarter of the Kings’ 153-121 win over the Nets on Tuesday.

Sacramento Kings rookie Keegan Murray will be questionable to play on Thursday versus the San Antonio Spurs due to low back soreness, according to James Ham of ESPN 1320.

Murray appeared to suffer the injury early in the second quarter of the Kings’ 153-121 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday. He was ruled out of returning in the second half after he appeared to tweak his back lunging for the ball on defense.

The fourth pick received medical treatment for the injury on Wednesday and will be reevaluated on Thursday at a morning shootaround. The injury is not considered to be serious.

He recorded four points and three rebounds prior to the injury.

Murray missed the first game of the season due to the health and safety protocol but appeared in each of the Kings’ next 12 games. He scored in double figures in each of his first five games and was moved into the starting lineup after two appearances.

He is averaging 12 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.1 assists and one steal on 37.5% shooting from 3-point range. He ranks fourth in scoring among all rookies and is second in 3-pointers.

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Rookie Power Rankings: Paolo Banchero, Bennedict Mathurin pace the class

Rookie Wire took a look at the top first-year players over the last two weeks of the 2022-23 season.

Through the first four weeks of the NBA season, the rookie class has put forth some tremendous performances. Several players stand out above the rest in the early going.

Of course, No. 1 pick Paolo Banchero came out of the gate on fire and leads the class in scoring. Bennedict Mathurin is a few points behind him in the scoring column, while Jaden Ivey continues to look electric so far.

In our second installment, some players cracked the rankings for the first time after a hot two-week stretch since our inaugural list came out. These newcomers have seemingly taken advantage of their opportunities and are making the most of them.

To make sense of it all, we took a look at the best recent performances of these first-year players and ranked them in the latest edition of the Rookie Wire Power Rankings. The rankings are not for Rookie of the Year purposes but, rather, to illustrate the best players week to week.

NBA Rookie Rankings: Paolo Banchero, Bennedict Mathurin aren’t the only first-year studs

Walker Kessler, Tari Eason, and Christian Koloko are thriving on defense.

Now that we are around one month into the season, the NBA’s 2022-23 Rookie of the Year and All-Rookie race is beginning to shape up.

The NBA’s rookie class took a massive hit when No. 2 overall pick Chet Holmgren was listed as out for the season with a foot injury. But players like Orlando’s Paolo Banchero and Indiana’s Bennedict Mathurin have stepped up in massive ways for their teams thus far.

Banchero and Mathurin could become the first pair of rookies to average more than 20.0 points per game since LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony did as much in 2003.

But it isn’t just Banchero and Mathurin who are off to a strong start. Based on their performances on the court thus far, we have ranked the NBA’s exciting and impressive rookie class.

Rookie Power Rankings: Paolo Banchero flexing early as the No. 1 pick

Rookie Wire took a look at the top first-year players over the first two weeks of the 2022-23 season.

The incoming rookie class has had two weeks of games in the NBA and already has produced some remarkable performances in the early going of the season.

No. 1 overall pick Paolo Banchero is off to a tremendous start and is seemingly showing out on a nightly basis. He scored at least 20 points in each of his first six games, becoming the first rookie to do so since Grant Hill (Nov. 4-15, 1994).

Elsewhere, several other first-year players have put up strong starts to the season. The group is looking to live up to expectations in the early going with several individuals emerging as key players for their respective teams around the league.

To make sense of it all, we took a look at the best recent performances of these first-year players and ranked them in the latest edition of the Rookie Wire Power Rankings. The rankings are not for Rookie of the Year purposes but, rather, to illustrate the best players week to week.

Kings’ Mike Brown reacts to Keegan Murray’s first NBA start

Murray started for the first time in his career, and had another strong performance in a loss against the Grizzlies.

Sacramento Kings rookie Keegan Murray on Thursday started for the first time in his career and performed well in a loss against the Memphis Grizzlies.

Murray produced 18 points and six rebounds in 39 minutes of work in the 125-110 loss at home. He finished by shooting 7-of-15 from the field, including 3-of-8 from 3-point range, as the Kings dropped to 0-4 on the season.

Kings head coach Mike Brown announced on Wednesday that Murray would start after coming off the bench in his previous two games. Brown believed Murray was ready for the challenge after logging heavy minutes in those outings.

Brown liked how Murray performed in that role, despite the loss.

Keegan, again, to me, he can play with the starters or he can play with the second unit. He is going to be good either way. He has just got a great feel and a great demeanor for a young guy.

The performance of Murray was likely one of a few bright spots for the Kings in the loss. He continues to have a smooth transition to the NBA and has seldom looked like a rookie in the early going. It resulted in yet another strong effort.

The starting power forward position appears to be his moving forward, a move that was expected at some point this year. The Kings are excited about what Murray brings to the court and will now have the opportunity to see what he can do as a starter.

The Kings return to action on Saturday against the Miami Heat.

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Keegan Murray to earn first NBA start against Memphis Grizzlies

Former Iowa star Keegan Murray is set to make his first official NBA start for the Sacramento Kings tonight against the 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.)

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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After two games, Keegan Murray to move into Kings’ starting lineup

Murray is averaging 17.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, one assist and one block in two games this season.

Sacramento Kings head coach Mike Brown announced rookie Keegan Murray will start on Thursday at home against the Memphis Grizzlies.

The decision comes after Murray performed well in each of his first two games. He missed the season opener but is averaging 17.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, one assist and one block on 43.8% shooting from 3-point range. He played at least 30 minutes in each game.

The fourth pick emerged as a key player off the bench for the Kings, but  now brings that production to the starting lineup as the team looks to improve at the start of games.

The move may not change the rotation too much, Brown said.

A lot of the same guys are going to play. If you think about it, Keegan was starting before, he just really didn’t start at the tip but he came in at the four-minute mark. To me, it is all the same.

Entering the season, Brown was noncommittal about who would start at power forward. He went with KZ Okpala over the first three games and will now insert Murray into that spot, which could be a permanent move based on how well the rookie has played to this point.

Murray has performed at a high level in each game to this point between the summer league, the preseason and, now, the regular season. He looks poised to have a strong rookie campaign and will now do so as a starter for the Kings.

The Kings and Grizzlies tip off at 10 p.m. EDT on Thursday.

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