Why the Sixers Should Take a Look at Jamal Murray
As the draft nears, all Sixers fans can think about are two players: Ben Simmons and Brandon Ingram. The LSU and Duke forwards have sent the NBA doubled over in awe of their talents. Simmons has earned the one-in-a-lifetime comparison to LeBron James, while Ingram has been sized up with Kevin Durant. Despite their talents, the Sixers should give one more player a little bit of a longer look: Jamal Murray.
Even prior to his season at Kentucky, Murray first scratched the surface of national hoops this summer in the Pan-American games, where he represented Canada. At the mere age of 18, second youngest in the tournament, the guard had loads of success, averaging 16 points and shooting 46% from the field and 41% from three.
But it was against the United States, studded with college stars, overseas all stars, and former NBA players, where Murray really showed his worth. Murray took the reins of a Canadian team that featured professionals and high end amateurs. It wasn’t former number 1 pick Anthony Bennett or Gonzaga star Kyle Wiltjer who had their ball in their hands for the last shot against the USA, in a tightly contested match. It was the 6-foot-5 Jamal Murray, who was nailing threes off the dribble over 7-footers and hitting contested floaters in the lane.
In the semi-finals battle against the US, the young guard showcased his skills on nationwide on ESPN. Murray finished with 22 points, all in the fourth quarter and overtime combined. He willed the team to victory, hitting absolutely every shot. It was there that that Jamal Murray showed how special he could become.
Despite his success at the Pan-Am games, many criticize Murray for his intangibles. Draft Express says that he “does not possess great length or lateral quickness,” which may, as a result, give him trouble on the defensive end in the NBA. The Boston Celtics NBA site cites his “pure athleticism” as a con and his lateral quickness as “average.” Although he may not be the most athletic in the draft, Murray does actually have the intangibles to make it in the NBA. They just aren’t his athletic attributes.
As displayed in the Pan-Am games, Murray shines best when the bright lights are on. But what’s more impressive is his ability of forget prior shots. Murray is gunner and he keeps shooting even when he isn’t hitting. That’s exactly what you want from your go-to scorer: confidence. He had multiple games this season when, although his shots weren’t falling, he kept firing. Many of those instances paid off.
During the SEC Championship against Texas A&M, after Murray had struggled all game to find his touch (2-9 from three at the time), he nailed a pull up, isolation three with 18 seconds left in overtime to put his team up 6. A game earlier, he hit an incredibly tough fadeaway three pointer to ice the game against Georgia, as the Dawgs were gnawing at the Wildcat lead.
His confidence and scoring ability also allows him to heat up and consistently hit shots. Not only did he have 18 20-point games, but he even had 22 games where he made 7 or more shots. When Murray is feeling it, he is as good of scorer as anyone, especially with his size (6-foot-5, 200 pounds), quick release, and relentless attacking of his opponent.
In addition, the Sixers need a perimeter scoring threat. Down low, they have one of the best back to the basket scorers in the NBA: Jahlil Okafor. But they desperately need a guard that can be a threat to score. Murray would give them just that. Murray scored in double figures in every game but one and managed to hit a three pointer in every single game. With averages of 20 points per game and 3 three pointers made per game at Kentucky, he is bound to have success putting the ball in the net, exactly what the Sixers need to compete for a title.
The bottom line is that Jamal Murray is a gamer and will at one point be a go-to scorer for whatever NBA team he ends up on. While he may not have the highest ceiling athletically, his ability to score and shoot the three consistently gives him the chance to have as high of a ceiling as anyone in this draft. In desperate need of a solidified backcourt, Murray gives the Sixers a future piece to build around the plethora of big men they have piled up.
First photo: Getty Images
Second photo: UK Athletics
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