Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images
Why the number four pick is starting to draw some eyes
Guess who just won December’s Western Conference Rookie of the Month? Oh, just the guy many people thought the Sacramento Kings should pass over with the fourth pick. Not even halfway into his first NBA season, and Keegan Murray has shown he can live up to the hype.
Kings rookie Keegan Murray adds another accolade to the list
✅ No. 4 Overall Pick
✅ Summer League MVP
✅
RT to congratulate the rook pic.twitter.com/tybIWVPoCI
— Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) January 3, 2023
Like most rookies, Murray has had his some down moments — including a slump where he shot just 3-for-22 from deep over a six-game span in November. However, he has had incredible moments as well. To go along with his impressive three-point shooting in December — 39-for-84 in total — Murray also continues to show signs of being a solid defender. He’s not the fastest or most athletic, but he has the right size, length and basketball IQ to have a big impact on the game.
Here are some of his top statlines and highlights from this past month:
Dec. 3 - 23 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals
Dec. 7 - 15 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 blocks, 1 steal
Dec. 9 - 18 points, 2 rebounds, 1 block, 1 steal, 6-8 3PT
Dec. 16 - 20 points, 2 rebounds, 4-6 3PT
Dec. 21 - 23 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 6-12 3PT
Keegan Murray in December:
12.7 points
3.5 rebounds
46% from the field
46.4% from 3
Western Conference Rookie of the Month pic.twitter.com/pMZs6w4UiC
— Hunter Patterson (@HuntPatterson_) January 4, 2023
Unlike the other rookies that rank among the league’s best this season, Murray is in a unique situation. He was not drafted to be the new face of the franchise, and he’s on a team with actual playoff aspirations unlike the Eastern Conference’s Rookie of the Month Paolo Banchero. Murray was drafted to be a role player with major upside and add some much needed depth to a revamped team. And that’s exactly what he’d doing.
He is not a primary ball handler, he isn’t the guy sitting in the paint to grab boards and he isn’t facilitating much at all. On offense, Murray is spacing the floor waiting for the ball to be kicked out to him or making a cut to basket when paint is open with Domantas Sabonis up top. On defense, he’s using his length to clog the passing lanes and stay vertical when guarding opposing wings. And he does it all with a blank, emotionless face.
But as much as the rookie has impressed, head coach Mike Brown is still looking to bring more out of him, like any good leader would.
"I'm going to press him to be a better defender.... rebounder... and a multiple effort guy."
Mike Brown challenges Keegan Murray to keep searching for ways to impact the game when his shot is not falling. pic.twitter.com/YeWE19uddW
— Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) January 4, 2023
Right now, Murray is a phenomenal shooter. Currently shooting 38.4 percent from deep, he is the second best volume shooter from three on the roster behind Kevin Huerter (42 percent). Brown wants Murray to step up his defense, rebounding and overall effort. The first two being Sacramento’s biggest problems. If he steps up to the challenge and makes it happen, Murray could take the mantle of third-best player on the team from either Huerter or Malik Monk.
The good news, I think both his defensive and rebounding abilities will improve during this season even without him making it a point to do so. As I said earlier, the season is still young and Murray is still adjusting to league play. The guys he’s going against are bigger, faster, stronger and simply better than probably 99.99 percent of the guys he faced while at Iowa. Just give him some more time, and by the end of the season Murray will be a more complete NBA player.
I don’t think he has a chance to win Rookie of the Year, simply because he is not in the right situation to show his value like some of his peers. However, I think he could win Rookie of the Month at least one more time and become an invaluable player for Sacramento. Murray joined the Kings at the perfect time. He has all the tools he needs to develop into the player we all hope he will be.
Jordan_White13
https://www.sactownroyalty.com/2023/1/5/23539835/sacramento-kings-keegan-murray-wins-december-rookie-of-the-month-nba-awards
By: Jordan_White13
Title: Keegan Murray wins December Rookie of the Month
Sourced From: www.sactownroyalty.com/2023/1/5/23539835/sacramento-kings-keegan-murray-wins-december-rookie-of-the-month-nba-awards
Published Date: 01-06-2023
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Bird Rights in NBA?
"Bird rights", a term in the NBA that allows players to be signed by their current NBA team for more money, is known as the NBA's Bird Rights. This rule is named after Larry Bird (ex-Boston Celtics player), who was the first to profit from it. If a player has been on the team's roster for more than three years, the salary cap limit can be exceeded to allow a team to sign another player. Bird rights allow players to stay with the same team and receive a larger salary than they would have been able to get from any other team.
Which NBA Player is considered the NBA's all-time scoring leader?
Kareem Abdel-Jabbar is currently the NBA's leading scorer. He has 38,387 career points. LeBron Jam is second with 37 062 points. Karl Malone, who has 36,928 point is in third. Kobe Bryant ranks fourth with 33 643 points. Michael Jordan is in fifth position with 32,292 marks.
Which is the greatest free-throw shooter ever?
It is a question that is often debated by basketball fans. However, most agree that Stephen Curry of Golden State Warriors is undoubtedly the greatest free-throw sapper of all time. This fantastic player set the record for most 3-point conversions in a season with an incredible 402.
Karl Malone currently holds a record for the most free throws made over a career with 9,787 success shots. He also has attempted more free throws than anyone else at 13,188 attempts, resulting in a 74.20% success rate.
Statistics
- Between 2012 and 2019, the league lost 40 to 45 percent of its viewership. (en.wikipedia.org)
- "NBA first-round ratings drop 27 percent, 40 percent since 2017–18". (en.wikipedia.org)
- Williams would 'likely' accept a deal worth $14-15M/year; Celtics are 'unlikely' to offer such a deal (HoopsHype) (bleacherreport.com)
- An estimated 800 million viewers watched the [105]2017–18 season. (en.wikipedia.org)
- The opening game of the 2020 Finals between the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat brought in only 7.41 million viewers to ABC, according to The Hollywood Reporter. (en.wikipedia.org)
External Links
bleacherreport.com
sports.yahoo.com
- Yahoo Mail, Weather and Search. Politics, News, Finance, Sports & Videos.
- The lowest ever recorded viewership for Game 1 of the NBA Finals is seen in ratings history
nba.com
basketball-reference.com
- Thomas Bryant Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more | Basketball-Reference.com
- Dennis Schroder Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more | Basketball-Reference.com
How To
How do players of the NBA All-Star Game get chosen?
The 24 NBA All-Star Game players are selected by a combination of media, fan and player voting. The vote comes from fans at 50 percent, and the media and current athletes each at 25 percent. Each group's vote counts equally, and all three submit their ballots simultaneously. The players are selected from each conference by position (two guards, two forwards and one center). The NBA Commissioner will choose a replacement player for any player who is injured or otherwise unable to play. The All-Star Game features a series of predetermined games in which the players are competing against each other. The team with the highest points total at the end after four quarters wins is declared the winner. Each year, the winning team receives an additional donation to their charity foundation.
The All-Star Game also presents a special award to the most valuable player. As it brings together the best players from both conferences, The All-Star Game has become a very popular event in the NBA. It's a great way for fans to cheer on their favorite players and see who ends up winning. The All-Star Game serves as a showcase of some of the most talented players in the NBA. It's something fans look forward each year to. The NBA All-Star Game's unique selection process will ensure that the game provides entertainment and talent.
