Who is Keegan Murray? Evaluating his career trajectory with Sacramento Kings so far in the NBA

Keegan Murray is a 6-foot-8 small forward who plays for the Sacramento Kings. This is his first year in the NBA, and he has done an amazing job helping the Kings (10-6) become a surprising early breakout story. Murray attended Iowa for two years before declaring for the draft and was selected by Sacramento with the fourth pick.

Murray has helped Sacramento with its current seven-game win streak. The former Big Ten MVP is averaging 11.4 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.1 assists. He's shooting over 42.9% from the field and 34.1% from the 3-point line.

Even though he's sixth in scoring for the Kings, he's still able to be effective. Before the season even began, there were people who chose Murray as the favorite to win the Rookie of the Year award. While that might not happen, based on Paolo Banchero's and Bennedict Mathurin's performances, the Kings' rookie is still someone to keep an eye on.

The 2022 Las Vegas Summer League MVP isn't afraid of challenges. Despite not averaging insane numbers, Murray has performed at his best on the defensive side. He's currently fifth on the Kings in defensive win shares with 0.3. It's a good sign for the organization that he's an effective player on defense.

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Keegan Murray has already been compared to an NBA legend

Richmond vs. Iowa

Unlike his fellow rookies, Keegan Murray is a different kind of player. While others are flashy and explosive and display showmanship, the Kings rookie prefers to stay grounded.

During his freshman year in Iowa, he only averaged 7.2 ppg. He followed it up with an impressive second year.

His sophomore season is where he took off and got the attention of everyone. Murray averaged 25.8 ppg and 9.0 rpg, which led the Hawkeyes to a championship win. He was very efficient as well, making 55.9% of his field goals and 53.8% of his 3-pointers.

Before getting drafted, Mike Schmitz compared the rookie to San Antonio Spurs legend Tim Duncan:

"He is a silent assassin. Think Tim Duncan. Think Kawhi Leonard."