Summer League 2022 is in the books. I am optimistic about the league’s future after watching guys like Chet and Josh Giddey tearing it up together for OKC, Paolo dominate for Orlando, and Jaden Ivey shine in two games for the Pistons.
If you’re like me, you can’t watch Summer League without constantly evaluating the talent on the floor. There were many great individual and team performances this year, which made it tough to narrow down specific players to mention. So, over the next week or so, I’ll be posting quick notes on some of my favorite performers of the 2022 Summer League.
We’ll start with an obvious one- Keegan Murray.
21.7 PPG, 7.43 RPG, 1.43 AST-2.57 TO, 1.3 STL, .67 BLK, 51% FG (15 attempts pg), 43% 3PT (5.3 attempts pg), 100% FT (2 attempts pg)
I try to stay away from lottery picks when writing articles like this because most people expect solid performances from those players. However, Murray performed beyond my expectations and looked like he could really make an impact in Sacramento straight away.
My biggest concern with Murray while evaluating him at Iowa was his lack of athleticism and how he would get buckets in the NBA. He answered that question very clearly; he’ll do so by using his strength, change-of-pace ability, and feel for the game to create the space he needs to be effective. Furthermore, Murray showed a tremendous ability to knock down shots off the dribble, converting 50 percent of his attempts off the bounce (89th percentile, per Synergy).
His strength came into play around the basket as well, as he hit around 64 percent of his attempts at the rim. He still favored his right hand more than desired but showed some flashes and comfort with the left.
Defensively, Murray was as expected. He’s strong, versatile, and uses his length and IQ to recover and alter shots.
The Kings are knocking on the door of a play-in spot and Murray will certainly impact winning alongside Fox and Sabonis.
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