Catching up with Iowa Hawkeyes forward Kris Murray at the NBA Draft Combine
CHICAGO — Kris Murray has seen his brother thrive in the NBA. He's been in the Golden 1 Center when Keegan, who is his slightly younger identical twin, was playing well. The older Kris attended Game 1 of the Western Conference first round series between the Kings and Golden State Warriors. He's heard the chants from Sacramento fans.
"Keeeeegan," says the Kings' public address announcer. "Muuuuuray," responds the crowd.
"I got a video for it. It was pretty cool to hear that," Kris told AllPacers at the NBA Draft Combine earlier this month. He said that the environment was the loudest at a basketball game he has ever been to.
Now, Kris is paving his own path to the NBA. The Iowa forward is currently in the pre-draft process and is projected to be a first-round draft pick. ESPN has the six-foot-eight-inch four man being selected 24th overall by, fittingly, the Kings.
Murray is an older prospect, he turns 23 in August. But he makes up for his older age by being talented and versatile. He averaged 20.2 points and 7.9 rebounds per game this season for the Iowa Hawkeyes, and he did so while knocking down 58.3% of his two-point looks and 33.5% of his threes. He did a little bit of everything, and he spread his impact across multiple positions.
He isn't considered to be one of the top prospects in the 2023 NBA Draft, but Murray is projected to go in the first round by most prognosticators. CBS Sports currently slots him 14th, two spots ahead of The Athletic. Meanwhile, Yahoo Sports has him going 23rd overall. His age and talent could lead to a wide potential draft range for Murray.
But he isn't looking at mock drafts. Instead, the talented forward is focused on the pre-draft cycle. He has learned a lot from his twin brother in the last year or so, and now he's ready to reach the NBA himself.
Murray has interviewed with many teams already, and he shared some of the feedback he has gotten in the process so far. "Just kinda what I see myself as. I've played a lot of roles in my career. Just kinda stabilizing that," he shared. "Because I have a high basketball IQ. I know I can be more consistent. I think that's just the biggest thing, just more consistency in my game [and] in my shooting. But I know that I'm a good shooter, I can space the floor for teams in the NBA."
Murray shot just under 35% from three in his time at Iowa. He is a slightly below average shooter from long range, but he is still efficient thanks to tremendous finishing in the paint and at the rim. He is a good attacker.
He also never turns the ball over (7.9% turnover rate in his final collegiate season) and has the size to be a solid defender. His low-mistake play style keeps him on the court and allows him to be impactful.
The Cedar Rapids native feels like he improved his playmaking and versatility this past season with Iowa. His assist rate climbed, and his overall responsibilities did, too. That should make him a more attractive NBA prospect.
His size helps, and Murray believes it helps him fit in the modern game. "I do, yeah," he said when asked if he thinks he fits well in the current era of NBA basketball. "[I'm] around 6'8. Long. I feel like my body type probably fits most of the NBA and what they're looking for. I can guard multiple positions, two through four. I can play multiple positions on offense. That's the biggest thing is just finding my role within a team."
NBA decision makers covet wings who can play multiple positions and fill many roles. Murray's size could allow him to do that, especially if his jump shot improves in the pros.
Even if his shot doesn't develop much, he still has enough talent to be in an NBA rotation. He's rarely in the way and knows how to move without the ball, and Murray attacks poor closeouts to get to the rim. He has enough skill to impact winning basketball.
And he is studying the right players to become a desirable wing. "Mikal Bridges. Khris Middelton," he said when asked who he watches, besides his brother. "I feel like those are guys who are [similar to] my game. Whether it be like body type, length, type of shot making, basketball IQ. It's pretty simple."
Any wing-needy team picking outside of the top-12 or so should take a look at Murray and what he can provide. His talent is obvious, and even though his ceiling may not be as high as some other prospects in this draft, he could have a solid NBA career for years. He's a player worth picking.
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