Kris Murray poised to join twin brother as NBA first-round pick
Rise of Murray twins stands above all other stories that I've covered on Hawkeye beat
By Pat Harty
IOWA CITY, Iowa – In over 30 years covering the Iowa Hawkeyes, I have been fortunate and privileged to have witnessed some incredible stories about student-athletes defying the odds on their way to stardom.
From Brad Banks to Dallas Clark to Bob Sanders to Luka Garza to Megan Gustafson, the list of former Hawkeyes who have achieved stardom, and in some cases became legends, during my time on the beat is long and distinguished.
Banks’ improbable rise from being Iowa’s backup quarterback in 2001 to the Heisman Trophy runner-up in 2002 as an electrifying and rare dual-threat quarterback will always rank among the best stories during my time.
The rise of Bob Sanders, from barely being recruited out of Erie, Pennsylvania to now being arguably the greatest and most respected defensive back in the history of the Iowa football program is another all-time classic.
Banks and Sanders rank among the very best stories because what they both accomplished as Hawkeyes would’ve seemed far-fetched until it happened.
Their stories are proof that anything can happen if you work hard enough, dream big enough, surround yourself with the right people, and win the gene pool.
But if I were to pick the most incredible of all the incredible stories, it’s the one that will continue to unfold Thursday night during the 2023 NBA draft.
That’s when former Iowa forward Kris Murray is expected to follow in the path of his twin brother Keegan Murray by getting picked in the first-round of the NBA draft.
Kris Murray isn’t expected to be picked as high as Keegan Murray was last year as the fourth overall selection in the draft by the Sacramento Kings.
But Kris Murray is expected to be taken in the first round, and should that happen, he and his twin brother, both of whom stand about 6-foot-8, will have combined, along with their father, to have written perhaps the greatest story during my time on the beat.
And that’s saying a lot.
In less than five years, Kris Murray and Keegan Murray have gone from being lightly recruited coming out of Cedar Rapids Prairie High School to both now being on the verge of NBA riches.
Keegan Murray already has earned millionaire status thanks to the contract that he signed as the fourth pick in the 2022 draft.
And by Thursday night, Kris Murray likely will have joined his twin brother in the millionaire club.
Two brothers being picked in the first round of back-to-back NBA drafts would be incredible under any circumstance, but Western Illinois was the only school to have offered the Murray twins a scholarship coming out of high school and that just makes their story even more spectacular.
Instead of signing with Western Illinois, Kris and Keegan both attended a prep school in Florida for a year after high school to get bigger and stronger, and to get more attention from college coaches, namely Iowa coach Fran McCaffery.
They were both sort of late bloomers from a physical standpoint and they figured a year in prep school would be beneficial in the long run.
It was a decision that helped to change the course of their lives.
Fran McCaffery encouraged the Murray twins to attend prep school and he told them he would closely monitor their progress and that scholarships for both would be offered if they developed.
McCaffery eventually saw enough progress from both Murray twins and offered them scholarships and the chance to play together in college, and to play for their father’s alma mater, and to play just 25 minutes from their hometown.
It was a dream come true, and a feel-good story from the beginning, but it has since become the kind of story that might never happen again.
Because just consider the unusual circumstances with their father having been a former McDonald’s All-American, and the Michigan Player of the Year in 1992 who had his pick of schools, but who also fell short of playing in the NBA, while both of his twin sons, despite being mostly ignored as high school recruits, are now on the verge of playing together in the NBA as first-round picks.
Kenyon Murray was a rock-solid player for Iowa as a three-year starter at small forward, and as a top defender.
But he only stood about 6-5 and he wasn’t as skilled as his twin sons from an offensive standpoint.
The fact that Kris and Keegan both grew to 6-8 was critical in their rise because it probably wouldn’t have happened if they were two or three inches shorter.
“We were fortunate to win the gene pool,” Kenyon Murray said in a previous interview.
And while Kris and Keegan are both forwards and similar in height,, their games are different, and their personalities are different, although, both are soft-spoken and have more substance than style.
Kris Murray has more of a dry sense of humor compared to his brother, and Kris’s humor often comes at the expense of his twin brother in the form of friendly teasing.
Kris also shoots left-handed, while Keegan is right-handed.
So, each brother is unique in his own way.
But they also share an inseprable bond that has guided them through life, and that will continue to guide them.
This past season marked the first time that the Murray twins have been separated, and while it was weird not being together, they both thrived on their own.
Fran McCaffery has referred to the Murray twins as “zero maintenance,” which is his way of praising their character, work ethic and unselfishness.
“You just don’t have to ever worry about them because they’re always going to make the right decisions away from the court,” Fran McCaffery said about the Murray twins in a previous interview. “They’ve just been a pleasure to coach, and to be around.
“Great young men from a great family.”
Kris Murray’s character was on display during a lopsided win at Indiana this past season when he pulled teammate Payton Sandfort aside to give his some advice.
Sandfort had just been called for a technical foul after having blown a kiss to the Indiana fans in Bloomington, Indiana.
“Kris was telling me right after it happened that we win with class, and usually, that’s what I do,” Sandfort said. “This one just boiled over. It’s not really something that I’ve ever done before.”
Kris Murray and Keegan Murray do everything with class, and that is a testimony to how they were raised.
Kris is named in honor of former Iowa basketball player Chris Street, who was killed in an automoble accident in Jan. 1993, and midway through his junior season.
Kenyon Murray was a freshman at Iowa in 1993, and he considered Chris Street almost like a big brother.
Kenyon was devastated by Chris Street’s death, and by naming one of his sons after Chris Street, Kenyon was paying his respects.
Kris Murray has honored the memory of Chris Street by conducting himself with class and dignity, and by working hard to reach his potential as a basketball player.
Kris Murray led Iowa in scoring this past season, matching what his brother did the season before.
The Murray family will be together Thursday night to watch the draft, along with some close friends.
Kris Murray will then meet with the media shortly after he is selected.
This will be the next step in a story that just keeps getting better.