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NBA Mock Draft 2016: Impact of the NCAA Tournament

By Maxwell Ogden

Apr 1, 2016; Houston , TX, USA; Oklahoma Sooners guard Buddy Hield (24) during practice day prior to the 2016 NCAA Men
Apr 1, 2016; Houston , TX, USA; Oklahoma Sooners guard Buddy Hield (24) during practice day prior to the 2016 NCAA Men /
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Mar 17, 2016; Des Moines, IA, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Jamal Murray (23) shoots the ball against Stony Brook Seawolves guard Lucas Woodhouse (34) during the first half in the first round of the 2016 NCAA Tournament at Wells Fargo Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 17, 2016; Des Moines, IA, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Jamal Murray (23) shoots the ball against Stony Brook Seawolves guard Lucas Woodhouse (34) during the first half in the first round of the 2016 NCAA Tournament at Wells Fargo Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports /

5. Jamal Murray, Kentucky Wildcats

Position: Point Guard

Age: 19 (2/23/1997)

Height, Weight, Wingspan: 6’5″, 204 pounds, 6’7″

Slash Line: .454/.408/.783

Season Averages: 35.2 MPG, 20.0 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 2.2 APG, 1.0 SPG, 3.1 3PM

Key Strengths

  • Limitless shooting range.
  • High release point, quick trigger.
  • Moves without the ball and converts off the catch.
  • Elite size for a point guard.
  • Positional versatility?

Key Weaknesses

  • Positional ambiguity?
  • Defensive inconsistency.
  • Facilitator?

Analysis

It’s not hard to see why Jamal Murray is such an appealing prospect. He’s an elite shooter—113 3-point field goals on 40.8 percent shooting—who can operate on or off-ball, pulling up from well beyond 24 feet, and utilizing screens to get open when working from the 2.

The question is, which backcourt position is Murray meant to play?

Murray displayed the court vision to be a point guard during his high school days, but regressed in college. Tyler Ulis won SEC Player of the Year from the point guard position, which offers fair reason for Murray playing the 2, but the latter averaged more turnovers than assists in 2015-16—a concerning sign no matter the circumstances.

There are clear reasons to be skeptical, but Murray is a perfect fit for the modern NBA.

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