On Facebook
On Flipboard
On Twitter
The Iowa Hawkeyes are more known for football than anything else, but their basketball program has certainly made strides in recent years.
Case in point: Iowa produced Keegan Murray, who was selected by the Sacramento Kings with the fourth overall pick of the 2022 NBA Draft.
Murray enjoyed a very impressive rookie campaign, averaging 12.2 points and 4.6 rebounds over 29.8 minutes per game on 45.3/41.1/76.5 shooting splits. Last year, however, Murray was a bit disappointing, registering 15.2 points and 5.5 boards across 33.6 minutes a night while shooting 45.4 percent from the floor and just 35.4 percent from three-point range.
That being said, while the 24-year-old saw a bit of a dip in efficiency, he still displayed considerable offensive potential and showed elite defensive capabilities.
So, can Murray take the third-year leap for the Kings?
It certainly seems like a legitimate possibility.
Sacramento added DeMar DeRozan during the offseason, giving the Kings a rather fearsome trio of DeRozan, Domantas Sabonis and De'Aaron Fox. That should take an immense amount of pressure off of Murray as a scorer, which should allow him to be more efficient.
The Cedar Rapids, Ia. native attempted 12.7 shots per game last season. That number may dip with DeRozan now in tow, and Murray should get better looks on top of that.
While Murray may not post incredible counting stats, that's not all that matters. For example, if Murray averages just 15 points per game but does it while posting a true-shooting percentage north of 60 percent, that should be labeled a very successful campaign for the Hawkeyes product, especially if he continues displaying tremendous defensie potential.
Between the Kings' three main scorers, Murray and players like Malik Monk and Kevin Huerter, field-goal attempts should be largely spread out, which takes the onus off of Murray to be a primary bucket-getter for the squad.
This should pay dividends for Murray and grant him the ability to relax in Sacramento's offense. It will also permit him to focus more on the defensive end of the floor, where he could ultimately make an All-Defensive team at some point.
Murray enjoyed two very strong months in December and January last season, where he posted over 17 points per game while recording true-shooting percentages of 62.5 percent and 61.3 percent, respectively.
If Murray can return to that sort of efficiency, the Kings will be in great shape, and Murray will be on his way to becoming one of the best basketball players in Iowa history.
More must-reads:
- Former NBA champion shares shocking opinion on Luka Doncic
- Colts to sign key offensive lineman to a massive extension
- The 'NBA Summer League MVPs' quiz
Breaking News
Trending News
TODAY'S BEST
LA Lakers have inside track to sign 2x All-Star in new buyout deal, it would complete their roster
NBA Insider Reveals Why Dallas Mavericks Had D’Angelo Russell Higher on Their Free Agent Wish List Than Chris Paul
The Dallas Mavericks had D’Angelo Russell higher on their free agent wish list than Chris Paul, according to NBA insider Marc Stein of The Stein Line. The Mavericks signed Russell to a two-year, $11.7 million contract on July 6. Russell played with Anthony Davis on the Los Angeles Lakers. Meanwhile, Paul signed a one-year, $3.6 million deal with the Los Angeles Clippers. “One source with knowledge of the Mavericks’ thinking, for the record, insists that Dallas had D’Angelo Russell higher on its free agent wish list than Chris Paul,” Stein wrote. “For two reasons. There is a belief in Dallas that Russell, in addition to leading the Mavericks’ efforts to cope without the injured Kyrie Irving, will find it easier to carve out a supplementary role when Irving is back playing after rehabbing from his ACL tear. “Dallas is also said to see him as a better fit alongside star big man Anthony Davis after Davis and Russell just played together with the Lakers.” Russell will start for the Mavericks at point guard next season until Irving is back from his ACL injury. The lefty played for the Lakers and Brooklyn Nets last season, averaging 12.6 points, 2.8 rebounds and 5.1 assists in 58 games. The 29-year-old shot 39.0% overall, 31.4% from beyond the arc and 83.4% from the foul line. Russell has played for the Lakers (twice), Nets (twice), Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves. He was the second overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft. The Ohio State product, who has been traded by every team he’s played for, has career averages of 17.3 points, 3.4 rebounds and 5.7 assists. Russell will wear No. 5 with the Mavericks, who missed the playoffs last season after making the NBA Finals in 2024. Dallas general manager Nico Harrison traded Luka Dončić to the Lakers for Davis and Max Christie in February.
Fever Coach Stephanie White Has Given One Player the Green Light Amid Caitlin Clark's Injury
Caitlin Clark is expected to sit out for a fourth straight game on Sunday when the Indiana Fever take on the Chicago Sky in a much-awaited rivalry matchup. The 23-year-old is still dealing with a reaggravated groin strain and has no timetable to return. The rest of her Fever teammates have had to step up in her absence. There is, perhaps, no other player who has taken a bigger role on the offensive end amid Clark’s injury spell than three-time All-Star Kelsey Mitchell. Mitchell, however, struggled with her shot in Thursday’s win against the Las Vegas Aces. The 5-foot-8 guard shot the ball poorly in the first three quarters, going just 4-of-19 from the field for 12 points. Mitchell caught fire in the fourth, though. She went 4-of-5 in the final frame for nine points, finishing with a game-high 21 points on 8-of-24 shooting. This is exactly why head coach Stephanie White remains completely confident in Mitchell’s scoring ability. The veteran coach has made it clear that she has given Mitchell the green light to shoot the rock. “The biggest thing with Kelsey is just telling her, ‘Let it fly.’ It’s going to go,” White said after Thursday’s win against Las Vegas. "... Keep shooting it from outside. She made some big ones when we needed them.” Kelsey Mitchell Has Stepped up Amid Clark's Injury Mitchell has answered the call for the Fever of late. In the three games Clark has been sidelined, Mitchell has put up averages of 22.0 points on 42.9% shooting. She also knocked down 2.7 triples during that stretch on a 34.8% clip. The 29-year-old veteran will need to keep her foot on the gas on Sunday as the Fever try to take down the Sky at United Center. With Clark watching from the bench, the Fever will rely on Mitchell’s scoring against Chicago as they look to improve on their 13-12 record. The Fever and Sky meet at 3 p.m. ET Sunday on ABC.
Former Packers Star Already Experiencing Issues With New Team
The Green Bay Packers decided to cut cornerback Jaire Alexander last month, a rather frustrating move considering the Packers didn’t really have much of an answer to replace him. One of the primary reasons Green Bay released Alexander was because of his inability to stay healthy, as the two-time Pro Bowler played in just 14 games over the last two seasons and 34 over the last four. He refused to take a pay cut, and the Packers did not feel justified paying that much money for a guy who was rarely on the field. Well, Green Bay was kind of validated in its decision to move on from Alexander in training camp, as the 28-year-old is already sidelined in Baltimore Ravens camp due to swelling in his knee, via Jason B. Hirschhorn of The Leap. Alexander is going to have his knee drained and is expected to practice on Tuesday, but the fact that he is already experiencing injury issues in Baltimore is evidence that the Packers made the right move. Of course, it would have been nice if Green Bay cut Alexander back in March rather than in June, as it would have given the team a better opportunity to add another cornerback, either via free agency or the NFL Draft. Yes, the Packers signed Nate Hobbs, but the general consensus at the time was that he was being added to play alongside of Alexander; not to replace him. Green Bay has very limited proven depth at the position, and had the Packers known for sure they would be parting ways with Alexander earlier in the offseason, perhaps they would have been more inclined to bring in another corner. When healthy, Alexander is terrific. During his last healthy campaign in 2022, he racked up 56 tackles, five interceptions and 14 passes defended en route to a Pro Bowl appearance, but that’s just the thing: it’s rare that the former first-round pick isn’t dealing with some sort of injury.
Cowboys aren't out of the woods despite positive Tyler Guyton injury update
The Dallas Cowboys avoided a worst-case scenario with Tyler Guyton's knee injury, but that doesn't mean they emerged unscathed. On Monday, NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported that offensive tackle Tyler Guyton, the No. 29 overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft, was believed to have torn his ACL during training camp practice. However, an MRI later showed the ligament remained intact, and he instead suffered a fracture, which comes with an expected 4-6 week recovery timeline, far better than a season-ending ACL tear. While the Cowboys can breathe a sigh of relief that Guyton's knee injury was less severe than initially expected, they aren't out of the woods. If Guyton's recovery is on the longer end of the spectrum, he will be in danger of missing the start of the regular season on Sept. 4. The Cowboys play in the Thursday night season opener on the road against the defending champion Philadelphia Eagles. An unavailable Guyton would be bad news for Dallas. Asim Richards, a 2023 fifth-round pick (No. 171 overall), will likely get the first chance of taking the first-team left tackle spot while Guyton heals. In his one career start (Week 10 last season against the Philadelphia Eagles), he allowed a sack and four total pressures. (h/t Pro Football Focus) Hakeem Adeniji, currently Terence Steele's backup at right tackle on the unofficial Cowboys depth chart, started his NFL career at left tackle but struggled mightily in pass protection from 2020-22, allowing 17 sacks and 72 total pressures. While Guyton experienced some rough rookie growing pains last season, including being flagged 18 times and allowing six sacks, he received his two highest PFF pass-blocking grades in Weeks 15 and 17, a step in the right direction. Instead of carrying that momentum into Week 1 against the Eagles, Guyton's injury could stall it. The Cowboys follow their trip to Philly with a home game 10 days later against the New York Giants, who could have one of the league's top edge-rushing duos in Brian Burns and rookie Abdul Carter. If Guyton is anything less than 100 percent, they could wreak havoc. Guyton's injury could have been much worse, but it can still cause plenty of problems.
Customize Your Newsletter
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!
PRIVACY POLICY EDITORIAL POLICY CONTACT US
ABOUT YARDBARKER TERMS OF SERVICE
Use of this website (including any and all parts and
components) constitutes your acceptance of these
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
This site is for entertainment purposes only.
There is no gambling offered on this site.
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.
