Keegan Murray’s Evolution

January 11, 2024

If there was one thing Kings fans, Sacramento media, and national media all agreed on coming into the season, it was that Keegan Murray’s growth would be the crucial step for the Kings to become a contender. 37 games into the season, we are seeing him evolve right before our eyes.

Last season, Keegan was predominantly a Catch and Shoot 3-point shooter. He was elite in that role, but the Kings didn’t ask him to do too much while he got acclimated to the NBA game. Of record setting 206 made 3’s, 192 of them were of the Catch and Shoot variety. He made 14 Pull-Up 3’s all season across 80 games. In the 33 games he’s played so far this year, he’s already at 12 made Pull-Up 3’s.

It’s still a small sample size, but he’s on pace to double his production in off the dribble shooting behind the arc. If he’s able to continue that slow uptick in that area of production, his ceiling for season 4 or 5 goes through the roof.

What has been more apparent in year two has been his increased production inside the arc. While the 3-Point Pull-Up shooting numbers are still relatively low, his Pull-Up shooting on 2-Point Field Goals has gone from 3.4 per game last year to 6.1 per game this year. The best part of it is that as the attempts have gone up, so has the efficiency. He shot 52.9% on his 2P Pull-Up shots last year and 57.4% this year.

Even for the best offenses in the NBA, there are countless times where a play breaks down and a player has to go and get their own shot. De’Aaron Fox and Malik Monk are both capable of creating their own looks, but it was evident in the playoffs that the Kings needed at least one more player of that ilk.

Enter Keegan Murray, v2.0.

In 33 games this season, he has already passed or is nearing his total FG’s off of multiple dribbles, while also maintaining or improving the efficiency on the shots.

His work with Fox in the offense is paying off and you can see the similarities on the court between their games. Keegan has quickly become proficient of the drive to the mid-range, create contact, separate with a step back and knock down the shot. It’s a De’Aaron Fox staple.

Once again for the Mid-Range shots, the numbers between last year and this year are showing tremendous growth. He made 16 total Mid-Range field goals at a 35.6% clip in his rookie year, and is already at 24 at a 42.1% clip in his sophomore campaign.

Last but certainly not least, the Pick and Roll Ball Handler Playtype numbers.

• 2022-23: 17.6th Percentile | 10 Possessions | 0.68 Pts/Poss | 33.3% FG%
• 2023-24: 64.0th Percentile | 14 Possessions | 0.93 Pts/Poss | 42.9% FG%

It’s still a small sample size, but yet another example of small improvements for the young star. The fact that Keegan has improved in so many facets on offense is a testament to his hard work. He could have taken everything that he did last season and been an elite shooter in this league, something every team would love to have. Instead, he is blossoming into a star right before our eyes, and I can’t wait to see what comes next.