Kris Murray is a 6’8” junior forward from Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The Iowa Hawkeye looks to join his twin brother, Keegan Murray, in the NBA. Will the stars align and see these two teammates again?
Kris Murray 2023 NBA Draft Profile
College Career
Murray was a Second-team All-State player in high school before spending a year with his brother at DME Academy before enrolling at Iowa. He didn’t get much playing time as a Freshman, amassing only 41 minutes over 13 games played. Things picked up the next season, with Murray playing in 35 games, averaging 9.7 points and 4.3 rebounds in a reserve role.
He sprang onto the scene in his junior year, averaging 20.2 points and 7.9 rebounds per game. Murray was a stat stuffer, adding 1.2 blocks, two assists, and one steal per contest as well. His efforts were enough to make the First-team All-Big Ten and Third-team All-American rosters. Murray helped the Hawkeyes make the Big Ten Tournament final and earn an eighth seed in the 2023 NCAA Tournament.
Strengths
Murray is a solid scorer in the paint, with a soft touch around the basket. He has nice footwork and the strength and creativity needed to finish at the rim (66.1% on attempts at the rim). Murray also has a nifty hook shot, and his midrange jumper is solid. He’s a decent three-point shooter but has shown a lot of promise in catch-and-shoot opportunities. In his sophomore year, Murray shot 38.7% from three, but that number dipped to 33.5% when he became a starter last year. Murray did attempt 6.8 threes per game as a junior, which says two things. He was the number one option on the Hawkeyes and thus had to take difficult shots at times. It also shows that he has a shooter’s mentality.
Defensively, Murray is capable of holding his own in the paint or on the perimeter. His size and length allow him to block shots and get into passing lanes. He plays smart on the interior, using that size to his advantage while ‘walling up’ and avoiding fouls when contesting. Murray also moves well and kept in front of guards when forced to switch at Iowa.
Weaknesses
While Murray’s handle was enough to get by defenders in the Big Ten, he’ll need to improve it at the next level. In college, Murray could overpower smaller defenders and use that hook shot to go around the taller ones. He may struggle to get around tough on-ball defenders and will need to work on his first step and ability to create separation to obtain a larger role in any rotation. Murray also settles for pull-up jumpers in isolation situations, which is likely caused by this inability to create space. He’ll need to improve his consistency from deep in order to really make an impact early in his NBA career. A career average of 34.5% isn’t great for a guy that’s expected to shoot a lot.
On defense, Murray may not fare as well on the perimeter in the NBA. He is not overly athletic compared to the upper-echelon of NBA forwards. Murray moves his feet well but might struggle in the pick-and-roll against elite NBA guards. He’ll have to rely on his savvy and instincts to continue being an impact player on the defensive end.
NBA Player Comparison
Keegan Murray. That’s probably not fair. Murray is going to begin his career as a floor-spacing four that plays tough defense and will take advantage of smaller defenders in the paint. He’s a plug-and-play forward that will fit best on a team that is ready to contend. Maybe it’s the Southpaw jump shot, but Murray reminds me of a less athletic Thaddeus Young. I think his ceiling could be David West with more range. A guy that can spread the floor and beat defenses and overcome a lack of athleticism with great passes and basketball acumen.
NBA Draft Projection
Mid to late first round.
