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Draft Profile: Jamal Murray

Opinions expressed on this page are solely those of the author(s) and don't represent the opinions of the Celtics front office.

NBA Draft Combine Measurements

Pros/Cons

Why You Might Know Him

Jamal Murray and Stephen Curry. Those are the only two players in NCAA history to knock down at least 113 3-pointers during a freshman season. Murray hit that number on the head this past season at Kentucky, turning in one of the most impressive sharpshooting seasons in program history. He made at least one 3-pointer in each of the 36 games he appeared in, including a standout 8-for-10 effort from beyond the arc on Feb. 6 against Florida.

Scouting Report

Possessions Scouted from 2015-16 Season:
OFFENSE: 20.3 percent of possessions
DEFENSE: 24.9 percent of possessions

Jamal Murray isn’t going to ‘wow’ you with much – save for maybe his shooting ability – but the guy is a rock-solid basketball player. Murray, a 6-foot-5 shooting guard, lacks elite quickness and athleticism but does everything well to exceptionally well. He might be the best shooter in this draft class, with an elite 3-point stroke as well as a very good midrange game, but he brings more than that to the table. He can really pass the ball, he is comfortable with both hands off the dribble, and he is a very good finisher with both hands. He reminds me a lot of Evan Turner with his smooth and creative finishes. He has an effortless release and a strong body, which he uses to his advantage while driving with leverage. However, due to his lack of quickness, he oftentimes uses an illegal push-off to clear space and tends to have his shot blocked often for a shooter. He prefers to go left. Screens will be his best friend in the league, but he does not yet know how to fully use them to his advantage. Defensively, he is active and shows effort. He has average lateral quickness but has quick feet and hips, although he gets his hips turned in the wrong direction too often with his initial reaction. He always contests shots. His defensive instincts are questionable, as he bites on ball fakes and lacks quick reactions. He gets knocked off course easily by screens. Murray is a sound offensive player who will immediately improve his future team’s shooting abilities. He will be much more than just a shooter; he’ll be high-level shooter who’s also a playmaker. He won’t be a shutdown defender but won’t be a liability, either.

Biography

Jamal Murray was born on Feb. 23, 1997 in Kitchener, Ontario to Roger and Sylvia Murray. His father introduced him to basketball at a very young age, and by the time he was 12, he was playing pick-up games against top high school and college players. Murray attended Grand River Collegiate Institute in his hometown for his freshman year of high school, before transferring to Orangeville Prep, an Athlete Institute Academy in Mono, Ontario. At Orangeville, he was joined by 7-foot-1 Australian phenom Thon Maker, who is also a potential first-rounder in this year’s Draft. College scouts were often drawn north of the border to see Maker, but Murray’s play also stood out and he quickly became one of the top recruits for the class of 2016. The combo guard gained further recognition during his MVP performance at the 2015 Nike Hoops Summit, as he scored a game-high 30 points and guided Team World to a 103-101 victory over Team USA. Following the Summit, the junior decided to reclassify to the class of 2015 and committed to the University of Kentucky despite the fact that coach John Calipari did not guarantee him a starting role or a set amount of minutes. As it turns out, Murray would earn the second-most minutes during his first and only season with the Wildcats, as he whipped up one of the most impressive freshman campaigns in the nation. He played in all 36 of Kentucky’s games, averaging 20.0 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. The 20.0 PPG marked the highest freshman scoring average in program history. Murray also became the first freshman in team history to score 30-plus points during multiple contests. He accomplished that feat three times, including a 35-point effort against Florida that was highlighted by an incredible 8-for-10 shooting effort from 3-point range. Murray finished eighth in the nation with 113 3-point makes. It marked the second-most 3-pointers by a freshman in NCAA history, trailing only Stephen Curry’s tally of 122 in 2007. He made at least one trey in each of his 36 games, becoming the first Wildcat to do so in team history. He also set a program record by scoring in double figures during 34 straight contests, which included 12 straight 20-plus-point efforts. Over the course of the season, Murray earned SEC Freshman of the Week honors four times, and had one Player of the Week nod when he averaged 21.5 PPG, 7.5 RPG and 4.0 APG during a seven-day span in early March. At season’s end, he was named a Third-Team All-American by Associated Press, and earned a spot on the First-Team All-SEC. Murray declared for the NBA Draft on April 1.