The Iowa Hawkeyes brought home the Big Ten Tournament championship in 2022 largely on the back of one of the top offenses in the nation, led by an exciting mix of youth and experience.
The team was paced by superstar forward Keegan Murray, who more than tripled his scoring output from 2020-2021 to 2021-2022, going from 7.2 points per game to 23.5 points per game.
With a stocky physique, excellent positioning and athleticism, long wingspan, and a superb all-around game, Murray was the biggest surprise in college basketball last season according to many.
He’s also a hometown guy for the Hawkeyes, hailing from Cedar Rapids, just a little over a half hour away from Iowa City.
Keegan Murray Projected as a Top Five Pick in Latest ESPN Mock
Murray checks in as the second Big Ten player off the board in ESPN’s latest mock draft according to the website Saturday Tradition, which has Purdue’s Jaden Ivey going fourth to the Detroit Pistons.
Murray was compared to Otto Porter of the Golden State Warrior’s on the website NBADraft.net’s latest mock draft, which has him going in the ninth overall spot to the Portland Trail Blazers.
One of Murray’s biggest strengths is his ability to score in transition, just one of the reasons why analysts believe he could be a great fit for today’s NBA.
Strengths according to NBADraft.net:
-“A big mismatch offensively” for opposing big men
-Soft shooting touch with consistent shot mechanics
-Agile, with very good lateral movement and leaping skills
Weaknesses according to NBADraft.net:
-Inconsistency from three-point land at times
-Can have a hard time finishing with the off-hand (left in this case)
-May struggle to defend on the perimeter at the next level
Murray was also named a finalist for the Naismith Trophy recently.
Check out highlights of Murray’s transition game below, just part of the reason why he’s such an effective scorer at the college level.
