With the 2016 NBA Draft not too far away here’s a look at Jamal Murray’s scouting report.
Versatility is all the rage in the modern era of professional basketball, with teams craving guards and forwards who can guard and play multiple positions.
This “positionless” style took the NBA by storm thanks to the current success of the Golden State Warriors, and there are a few guys in the 2016 NBA draft class who have a chance to succeed as combo players.
Kentucky’s Jamal Murray played a combo guard role well during his lone season at college, and even though he’s more of a 2-guard in terms of scoring and picking his shots, he has the court vision and leadership necessary to play the point.
Standing at 6’5″, Murray has good size for either position and even though he’s not a great athlete like Kris Dunn or Buddy Hield he’s arguably as good if not a better shooter from three-point range.
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In fact not only does he have a decent stroke from beyond the arc, Murray has the touch necessary to score both in the mid-range and around the rim. His free throw shooting is even strong for a guard his age.
| MP | FG | FGA | FG% | 3P | 3PA | 3P% | FT | FTA | FT% | TRB | AST | STL | TOV | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 35.2 | 6.8 | 14.9 | .454 | 3.1 | 7.7 | .408 | 3.3 | 4.2 | .783 | 5.2 | 2.2 | 1.0 | 2.3 | 20.0 |
| 35.2 | 6.8 | 14.9 | .454 | 3.1 | 7.7 | .408 | 3.3 | 4.2 | .783 | 5.2 | 2.2 | 1.0 | 2.3 | 20.0 |
Provided by Sports-Reference.com/CBB: View Original Table
Generated 5/28/2016.
Murray’s pure numbers and percentages were impressive to say the least, and given that he was a phenomenal scorer as a freshman his future bodes well for his development in the NBA.
As mentioned he isn’t the best athlete at his position, but his handle and understanding of the game helps him get to his spots and convert at a high level.
Murray can shake defenders with his strong handle, and he’s fully aware of where his teammates are and set screens. He’s an intelligent player capable of making plays for himself and others.
And when he gets open space? He knocks down shots at an incredibly high level.
Don’t forget about his touch in the lane either. He’s a patient scorer who knows how to buy time and strike when he sees an opening.
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He doesn’t force a lot of bad shots if any at all and knows how to maneuver on offense both with and without the ball.
Whether its catch-and-shoot or off the dribble Murray is as deadly of a shooter from outside and mature scorer as they come. His offensive tools are coveted by any team looking to boost its perimeter scoring seeing as though it’s hard to win in today’s NBA without proper guard play.
The two biggest knocks on his play in college were his lack of primary decision-making and occasional lapses on defense.
His lack of top-notch athleticism puts him at a disadvantage defensively but he still competes and is very wary of opposing screeners and offensive rotations. Murray’s basketball IQ helps him on defense just as much as it does on the other end of the floor.
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He can put up a fight against either guard spot but he’s not the quickest player meaning that smaller guards could put the move on and blow by him if they get a chance.
Whichever team drafts him has to watch that he doesn’t get switched too often onto players who can easily take advantage of his weaknesses.
As for the concerns regarding his assist-to-turnover ratio, Kentucky had two other guards on the floor with Murray in Tyler Ulis and Isaiah Briscoe, both able to pass and make plays for others. Murray’s role was primarily as a scorer, so he wasn’t asked to serve as a distributor too often.
That doesn’t mean those skills aren’t there, however. In the 2015 Pan American Games, his “coming out party” of sorts, Murray showed off his leadership and playmaking abilities in high-pressure situations.
Based off of the quality of decisions made and shots taken during his great run there, I’m not too concerned about his ability to do it at the next level.
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His calling card is scoring, but Murray can ultimately be so much more given time. He has star potential and if he hits his ceiling we could talk about him being the best among his peers in a few years.