Kings rookie Murray looks for ‘fun’ at All-Star Weekend
Kings rookie Keegan Murray will take his place among the NBA’s best young players in the Jordan Rising Stars tournament Friday at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City.
Four teams comprised of NBA rookies, sophomores and G League players will compete in a three-game tournament as part of NBA All-Star Weekend. The games will be broadcast live on TNT.
Murray was recently asked what he expects from the weekend.
“Just to have fun,” Murray said. “It’s just a time away from competitive basketball, I guess, to just be away and hang out with my family. It’s something I’m excited about when I get there. … I don’t even know what to expect, so I’m just going in there with a clear head and just trying to have a good time before I head back here.”
Former NBA All-Stars Pau Gasol, Deron Williams and Joakim Noah will serve as honorary coaches for the rookie-sophomore teams. Jason Terry, a Utah Jazz assistant who once coached the G League’s Grand Rapids Gold, will lead the G League team.
Gasol, Williams and Noah selected their teams in the Rising Stars draft Feb. 7. Gasol selected Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero, the leading candidate for Rookie of the Year, with the No. 1 pick. Williams selected Magic forward Franz Wagner with the No. 2 pick and Noah chose Cleveland Cavaliers center Evan Mobley with the third pick.
Team Pau selected Murray with the 18th overall pick in the Rising Stars draft. Murray will be part of a loaded seven-man squad featuring Banchero, Indiana Pacers shooting guard Bennedict Mathurin, Detroit Pistons guard Jaden Ivey, Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes, New Orleans Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado and Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard.
All three games in the Rising Stars tournament will be played Friday. The two semifinal games will be played to a final target score of 40, meaning each game will end on a made basket or a free throw. The winners of those two contests will face each other in the championship game with a target score of 25.
Murray is one of five Kings who will participate in All-Star Weekend festivities. Guard Kevin Huerter will compete in Saturday’s 3-Point Contest. Two-way center Neemias Queta was chosen to participate in Sunday’s G League Next Up Game. Point guard De’Aaron Fox and center
Domantas Sabonis were selected for Sunday’s All-Star Game.
Sacramento selected Murray out of Iowa with the No. 4 pick in June’s NBA draft. He quickly established himself as a starter for the Kings (32-25), who are third in the Western Conference as they try to end their 16-year playoff drought.
Murray is averaging 11.9 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.1 assists while shooting 44.2% from the field and 41.5% from 3-point range. He was named Western Conference Rookie of the Month in December and January.
Murray said he will fly home to Iowa for a couple of days following his Rising Stars appearance. He plans to attend his sister’s high school game Saturday and his twin brother’s game at Iowa on Sunday before returning to Sacramento to rejoin the Kings for the final 25 games of the regular season.