Jul 5, 2022; San Francisco, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray (13) shoots against Los Angeles Lakers guards Javante McCoy (46) and Scotty Pippen Jr. (1) during the third quarter at the California Summer League at Chase Center. (Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports)
Fran McCaffery's Keegan Murray Analysis Spot on So Far
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IOWA CITY, Iowa - Keegan Murray’s success in this month’s 2022 NBA Summer League, where the former Hawkeye and Sacramento Kings rookie was named the most valuable player, might have surprised some people. Fran McCaffery wasn’t one of them.
Whether he was doing an interview on NBA Radio or visiting with numerous league general managers, the Iowa coach never wavered on his pre-draft opinion.
“I spoke really candidly where I thought he (Murray) should be,” McCaffery said Tuesday. “No respect to anyone who was drafted ahead of him. But I think Keegan and (Paolo) Banchero were the two best players in the draft, and I said it to anyone who would listen.”
Banchero, from Duke, was taken by Orlando with the No. 1 pick. Oklahoma City selected Chet Holmgren of Gonzaga at No. 2. Houston went with Auburn’s Jabari Smith at No. 3 and Sacramento took Murray at No. 4.
“I’m a big Chet Holmgren fan,” McCaffery said. “I know Chet. I recruited Chet. I would say Keegan is better than those other two guys. He was the best player in the summer league. Not even close.”
Murray was a consensus all-American and first-team all-Big Ten pick after averaging 23.5 points and 8.7 rebounds as a sophomore. The highest draft pick in program history, he had similar numbers in four summer-league games. Murray averaged 23.3 points and 7.3 rebounds.
“But that’s just the beginning,” McCaffery said. “In a month or so, here come the big boys. That’s a whole nother challenge for him. But the thing about him is he’s perfectly suited for exactly that. He will not rattle. I don’t care who he’s guarding or who is guarding him. He’ll do what he does. He makes shots, he makes plays. I thought some of the plays he was making off the dribble for his teammates were among the most impressive things he did. He shot well from 3 (40 percent). He got to the free-throw line. He guarded, he defended. We all knew he could do those things.”
McCaffery saw Murray play in person, attended a practice and met new Sacramento Coach Mike Brown.
“I saw what they were running and how they were using him,” McCaffery said. “Really good stuff. It’s perfectly suited for him. He’ll continue to get better and fit in with the other guys they have.”
