Jamal Murray
VITALS
From:
Kentucky
Height/weight:
6-foot-4, 205 pounds
2015-16 stats (freshman):
Points:
20.0
Rebounds:
5.2
Assists
2.2
Steals
1.0
Overview
Kentucky may not have produced a 2015-16 season that met its extraordinarily-high recent standards, falling in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, but Murray authored a red-hot late-season stretch that demonstrated his considerable offensive talent. The freshman showed remarkable consistency from Feb. 2 through March 12, with a dozen consecutive games of 20-plus points, shooting at least 50 percent from the field in nine of those contests. “Murray was one of the most prolific scorers in college basketball despite being a freshman,” The Vertical’s mock draft summarized.
What draft analysts like…
The native of Ontario, Canada can flat-out shoot, with a jumper described as “effortless” by NBADraft.net. “He’s a dead-eye shooter who will space the floor,” according to FoxSports.com, and possesses a “flamethrower jumper,” per SB Nation. In a league that’s steadily becoming more dependent on three-point accuracy, Murray went 8/10 vs. Florida on treys and 6/10 vs. Georgia three days later. He had 13 games of four-plus trifectas from the college distance.
What draft analysts wonder…
Is he athletic enough to keep up with some of the premier guards of the NBA? According to NBA.com, he’s “lacking great athleticism while projecting as a versatile guard with good size and natural instincts as a passer but also the scoring ability to play off the ball.” SI.com breaks down Murray in this category by writing, “His biggest question mark is athleticism on both ends, but a lot of the same questions were asked about Steph Curry, James Harden, C.J. McCollum and Devin Booker. If he can hold his own against NBA athletes, he’s a great shooter and a natural scorer.”
Post-lottery projections
Where various prominent NBA websites predict he will be picked, along with excerpted comments from the respective mock drafts:
- NBA.com (second to Lakers): “While Julius Randle just averaged 10.2 rebounds in his first full season, Simmons’ versatile offensive game allows him to fit almost anywhere.”
- NBA.com (seventh to Nuggets): “Murray is more shooting guard than point guard. He shot 40.8 percent from behind the arc as part of a big second half that included (12) consecutive games with at least 20 points.”
- ESPN.com (third to Celtics): “If the pick is not traded, I think it will come down to Murray, Kris Dunn and Buddy Hield. The Celtics really like Dunn, and he might eventually be better than the point guards they already have, but Murray’s shooting ability and versatility might make him a more valuable player, or trade chip, for the Celtics.”
- The Vertical (sixth to Pelicans): “The Pelicans’ backcourt is unsettled at the moment, with a dozen different players earning a starting nod over the course of the season. Eric Gordon, Tyreke Evans and Jrue Holiday have all struggled with injuries and none is under contract past next season, which means New Orleans will look at all of the top guards available.”
- SI.com (third to Celtics): “If the Celtics keep this pick, Murray may have the most upside of anyone left in the lottery.”
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