Kris Murray Explained

Kris Murray
Position:Power forward
Height Ft:6
Height In:8
Weight Lbs:220
League:NBA
Team:Portland Trail Blazers
Number:10
Birth Date:19 August 2000
Birth Place:Cedar Rapids, Iowa, U.S.
High School:
College:Iowa (2020–2023)
Draft Year:2023
Draft Round:1
Draft Pick:23
Draft Team:Portland Trail Blazers
Career Start:2023
Years1:–present
Team1:Portland Trail Blazers
Years2:2023
Team2:Rip City Remix
Highlights:

Kristopher James Murray (born August 19, 2000) is an American professional basketball player for the Portland Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Iowa Hawkeyes of the Big Ten Conference from 2020 to 2023. He was first-team All-Big Ten in his final year with the Hawkeyes. He is the twin brother of basketball player Keegan Murray, who plays for the Sacramento Kings.

Early life and high school career

Murray grew up in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and attended Prairie High School, where he played basketball with his twin brother Keegan as a teammate.[1] He was named first team All-Metro and second team All-State after averaging 19.5 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 2.5 blocks, and 1.1 steals per game.[2] Following graduation, Murray and his brother enrolled at DME Academy in Daytona Beach, Florida for a postgraduate year.[3] Both brothers committed to playing college basketball for Iowa.[4]

College career

Murray played in 13 games, all off the bench, and 41 total minutes as a freshman for the Iowa Hawkeyes.[5] As a sophomore, he averaged 9.7 points and 4.3 rebounds over 35 games with one start.[6] [7] Following the end of the season, Murray entered the 2022 NBA draft after his brother had already done so.[8] He ultimately withdrew his name from the draft shortly after declining an invitation to the NBA Draft Combine.[9] [10]

Murray entered his junior season at Iowa on the watchlists for the Karl Malone Award and the John R. Wooden Award.[11] [12] He averaged 20.2 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 2 assists per game and was named first-team All-Big Ten Conference at the end of the season. Murray was also named a third-team All-American by the Associated Press, United States Basketball Writers Association, and the Sporting News.[13] After the season, he entered the 2023 NBA draft, where he was selected 23rd overall by the Portland Trail Blazers.[14]

Professional career

Portland Trail Blazers (2023–present)

Murray was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round of the 2023 NBA draft with the 23rd overall pick[15] and on July 1, 2023, he signed with the Blazers.[16] He scored back-to-back career-highs in points in consecutive games against the Los Angeles Clippers on March 20 and March 22, posting 17 and then 21 points.[17] [18]

Career statistics

NBA

|- | style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"| Portland| 62 || 29 || 21.7 || .396 || .268 || .661 || 3.6 || 1.3 || .9 || .3 || 6.1|-|- class="sort bottom"| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career| 62 || 29 || 21.7 || .396 || .268 || .661 || 3.6 || 1.3 || .9 || .3 || 6.1

College

|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2020–21| style="text-align:left;"| Iowa| 13 || 0 || 3.2 || .231 || .000 || 1.000 || .6 || .1 || .1 || .1 || .6|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2021–22| style="text-align:left;"| Iowa| 35 || 1 || 17.9 || .479 || .387 || .645 || 4.3 || 1.1 || .8 || .9 || 9.7|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2022–23| style="text-align:left;"| Iowa| 29 || 29 || 34.9 || .476 || .335 || .729 || 8.9 || 2.0 || 1.0 || 1.2 || 20.2|- class="sortbottom"| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career| 77 || 30 || 31.8 || .473 || .348 || .699 || 8.0 || 2.2 || 1 || 1 || 12.1

Personal life

Murray's father, Kenyon, was a 4-year starter for the Iowa Hawkeyes from 1992–1996, and was high school Mr. Basketball in Michigan in 1992.[19] Kris's twin brother Keegan was a top 5 pick in 2022 draft and currently plays for the Sacramento Kings.[20] Kris was named after the late Chris Street.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Identical twins, identical numbers: Keegan and Kris Murray help Cedar Rapids Prairie to great season. The Gazette. February 17, 2019. November 16, 2022.
  2. Web site: Murray twins ready to live their dream. Tom. Kakert. Rivals.com. November 18, 2020. November 16, 2022.
  3. Web site: Iowa commits Keegan and Kris Murray hit home run at DME Sports Academy. The Gazette. April 1, 2020. November 16, 2022.
  4. Web site: Keegan and Kris Murray commit to Iowa basketball, following in their dad's footsteps. The Gazette. October 21, 2019. November 16, 2022.
  5. Web site: Kris Murray Looking to Build on Freshman Season. Rick. Brown. SI.com. October 19, 2021. November 16, 2022.
  6. Web site: It's Kris Murray's time with the Hawkeyes, and he's embracing it. The Gazette. July 19, 2022. November 16, 2022.
  7. Web site: Kris Murray on filling brother Keegan's shoes: 'I feel no pressure'. Blake. Hornstein. OurQuadCities.com. October 5, 2022. November 16, 2022.
  8. Web site: Iowa Hawkeyes' Kris Murray declares for NBA draft, but it doesn't mean he's leaving Hawkeyes. The Gazette. April 14, 2022. November 16, 2022.
  9. Web site: Keegan Murray comfortable with draft decision. Quad-City Times. May 28, 2022. November 16, 2022.
  10. Web site: Kris Murray declines invitation to NBA Draft Combine. Owen. Siebring. CBS2Iowa.com. May 10, 2022. November 16, 2022.
  11. Web site: Iowa Basketball: Kris Murray named to Karl Malone Award watch list. David. Eickholt. 247Sports.com. October 27, 2022. November 16, 2022.
  12. Web site: Wooden Award Watch List Includes Kris Murray. SI.com. November 15, 2022. November 16, 2022.
  13. Web site: Iowa Basketball: Kris Murray named consensus all-American. David. Eickholt. 247Sports.com. March 28, 2023. April 11, 2023.
  14. Web site: Iowa’s Kris Murray declares for NBA Draft: Where is he projected to be picked?. Sam. Vecenie. Eamonn. Brennan. The Athletic. April 7, 2023. April 11, 2023.
  15. Web site: Aaron. Fentress. Trail Blazers select Iowa forward Kris Murray with No. 23 pick in 2023 NBA draft. The Oregonian. June 22, 2023. June 23, 2023.
  16. Web site: Trail Blazers Sign Scoot Henderson and Kris Murray. NBA.com. July 1, 2023. November 12, 2023.
  17. Web site: 2024-03-21 . Trail Blazers' Kris Murray: Posts career-high point total . 2024-03-23 . CBSSports.com . en.
  18. Web site: Rally Falls Short In Second Contest Versus Clippers . 2024-03-23 . www.nba.com . en.
  19. Web site: Kenyon Murray - Iowa Hawkeyes Player Profile Basketball - Summary of Iowa football and basketball games . Hawkeye Recap . 6 January 2023.
  20. Web site: Murray confirms NBA used photo of his brother on draft night. Eduardo. Razo. NBC Sports Bay Area. July 20, 2022. November 16, 2022.