Kings' Keegan Murray Hit With Harsh Truth in ESPN's NBA Player Rankings

The young Sacramento Kings forward was snubbed from the top 100 NBA player rankings.

Mar 10, 2025; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray (13) warms up before the game against the New York Knicks at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images | Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

The Sacramento Kings were mildly represented in ESPN's latest NBA player rankings heading into the 2025-26 season. Domantas Sabonis was the lone King ranked in the top 70, landing as the 34th best player in the league, while Zach LaVine at No. 72 and DeMar DeRozan at No. 80 were the only other Sacramento players in the top 100 list.

Not only are DeRozan and LaVine arguably being extremely disrespected in these rankings, but a few key Sacramento players were left off altogether.

Who is missing?

Two snubs come to mind when looking through ESPN's ranking: Malik Monk and Keegan Murray.

Mar 14, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk (0) and forward Keegan Murray (13) against the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Monk, 27, is coming off a career year, as he finally earned a starting job in Sacramento. Last season, Monk averaged 17.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 0.9 steals per game, all marking new career highs. While Monk's name has been thrown around in trade rumors throughout the offseason, he is an incredible player and one of the most electric guards in the league.

Murray, 25, arguably has more of a case than Monk. Last season, Murray averaged 12.4 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game, which are not improved numbers from his sophomore campaign, but his impact goes well beyond the box score.

over 5 minutes of Keegan Murray defense pic.twitter.com/ARO3qgqyUr

— Skyler (KFR) (@SacFilmRoom) March 9, 2025

Murray has blossomed into one of the league's premier wing defenders, while still being a lethal threat from beyond the arc. While he did not make the top 100 list, ESPN's Jorge Sedano made a strong case for him while sharing the harsh truth of playing in Sacramento.

"Keegan Murray not making the top 100 is mind-boggling," Sedano wrote. "He is a legit and versatile two-way player at 6-foot-8 and has to regularly take the toughest assignment on defense for the Kings. On top of being a good defender, he is a career 38% shooter from 3 and doesn't need the ball in his hands to make an impact. He moves well without the ball, cuts to the basket and runs the floor. If he were on any other team, he would be ranked in the range of top 55 to 70."

Kings disrespect?

Is Murray being left off the top 100 list simply a case of disrespect toward the Kings' franchise? As Sedano puts it, Murray would not only be on the list, but he would be in the top 70 if he were on any other team.

Watch all 12 of Keegan Murray's 3-pointers from his 47-point career night! pic.twitter.com/gedyM7nlal

— NBA (@NBA) December 17, 2023

Of course, there is no real way to gauge whether or not the Kings are being disrespected unless Murray were to go to another team and see his ranking skyrocket, but luckily, the franchise certainly already knows how valuable he is.

The Kings have been reportedly keeping Murray out of trade talks this offseason, and while he should not be considered an "untouchable," he is one of the few key pieces that Sacramento can build around for the future. Sure, he may not be recognized as a top 100 player in the NBA, but he is an absolute game-changer.