The Sacramento Kings selected Iowa forward Keegan Murray with the fourth pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, hoping he would become one of the reasons why Sacramento ended its playoff drought. Heading into his second season, Murray is now viewed as a piece who could help win a title.
Murray earned NBA All-Rookie First Team honors this past season. The 6-foot-8 forward started 78-of-80 games in the regular season, averaging 30 minutes per contest and improving as his rookie season unfolded. Poised for an even bigger role next season, the second-year forward is already generating significant buzz before the NBA Summer League begins.
- Keegan Murray stats (2022-’23): 12.2 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 1.2 APG, 45.3% FG, .087 WS/48
Related: Sacramento Kings offseason tracker, grades
In the California Classic, Murray was the most outstanding player. In Game 1 against the Golden State Warriors, he finished with a game-high 29 points (8-of-17, 10-of-11 from foul line) then upped his performance in the next matchup. Facing the Miami Heat, Murray erupted for 41 points on 20 shots with five rebounds and four blocks.
- Keegan Murray stats (California Classic): 70 points, 23-of-26 from the free-throw line, 51% from the field in two games
Meeting with reporters after the first game in the California Classic, Kings’ assistant Luke Loucks shared what a scout told him about Murray’s second-year improvements. He also noted it reflected the confidence the entire organization shares.
“It was almost, like silent. Everyone could just feel how good he is. After the scrimmage, one of the scouts pulled me aside and was like ‘The closest thing I’ve seen to what I just saw was Kawhi in year two.’ It wasn’t that Keegan is Kawhi or Kawhi is Keegan, but the step from rookie season like, ‘Oh, you’ve got a pretty good rookie’ to like ‘Holy smokes, this guy could be exceptional.’ I think we’re all seeing it as an organization, we’re feeling it.
Sacramento Kings assistant coach Luke Loucks on Keegan Murray (H/T Chris Watkins)
While a direct player comparison isn’t being made to Kawhi Leonard, the comparison to the second-year leap is notable. Leonard, a five-time All-Star selection was a rotational player in his first season with the San Antonio Spurs. He became a starter in his second season and while he still averaged just 11.9 points per game, he also tacked on 6 RPG and 1.7 SPG and ended the regular season with a .166 Win Shares per 48 minutes.
Many thought the Kings would be aggressive this offseason, using their cap space and draft capital to acquire a player like Kyle Kuzma or Pascal Siakam. Instead, the Kings added depth to their rotation with a growing belief that Murray emerges as the third star in Sacramento.
