Keegan Murray needed just 20 minutes to show the rest of the league what many Sacramento Kings fans already knew – the kid can play.
Murray, fresh off being named NBA Summer League MVP, put up a game-high 16 points to go with six rebounds and two steals in his NBA preseason debut Monday night.
“I feel like I’m in really good shape, so just getting up and down the court is not really a problem for me,” Murray said. “Obviously, the physicality is a lot different. So, I feel like that’s the biggest adjustment for me. Just pick spots to be physical, guys are more physical and things like that.”
The Iowa native did not start for the Kings but made his presence felt as soon as he entered the game for Kevin Huerter at the 5:58 mark of the first quarter. Murray logged his first shot of the game 11 seconds later and recorded his first NBA bucket off a Davion Mitchell assist with 2:05 left to play in the frame.
The rook really found his groove in the third quarter. His stanza-opening floater at the 11:31 mark helped cut the deficit to three, 46-43, and sparked a 26-7 run by the Kings.
Murray capped the run with a deep jumper from 21 feet – his ninth point of the quarter -- to give Sacramento a commanding 67-53 lead
The bucket also marked the end of the night for Murray, who also led the team in rebounds and finished with a game-high plus/minus at plus-19.
“Whenever I’m on the basketball court I feel comfortable,” Murray said. “It doesn’t matter who’s lined up across from me, I just play the game.”
Murray and the rest of the new-look Kings return to action this Sunday when they take on the Portland Trail Blazers at home.