IOWA CITY — When Keegan Murray walked onto the courtroom together with his dad and mom ultimately month’s NBA Draft, a large mugshot of his an identical twin brother was proven on the video panel at Barclays Middle.
“Yeah, Keegan was mad,” Kris stated, smiling. “…I knew straight away.”
And when Keegan was chosen No. 4 total by the Sacramento Kings, a historic second as the very best decide within the draft for an Iowa Hawkeye, Kris’s picture resurfaced for the world to see.
Kris identified with a good wider smile, “I suppose they simply selected the extra good-looking twin.”
The dry humor of Kris Murray, who returns to the College of Iowa for her junior yr, is unmistakable. We noticed him emerge final season for the Hawkeyes when he had a couple of moments within the media highlight, which was principally consumed by his brother. However Kris’ persona is now starting to shine by means of in Iowa Metropolis, particularly as Keegan’s early accolades on the NBA degree proceed to boost outdoors expectations for Kris.
“I’m undoubtedly a extra unbiased individual. I undoubtedly wish to have that influence on this staff, apart from Keegan,” Kris stated this week earlier than basketball follow in Iowa. “My legacy goes to be totally different right here in Iowa. The one which he left behind was only a platform for the remainder of our staff to would develop up And particularly for me, to take the function that he had final yr.”
Whereas the remainder of his household (mother Michelle, dad Kenyon, sister McKenna) had been in Las Vegas to observe Keegan take the NBA Summer season League by storm, Kris determined to remain dwelling and work out together with his teammates.
“I am unable to simply take every week off, though I really like Keegan and assist him in every thing,” Kris stated. “We had every week of coaching and I am unable to miss it. I can even see him on TV and I can at all times name him each time.”
Kris could have a extra comedic facet than Keegan, however that is to not be confused with an absence of seriousness in the direction of basketball. He has placed on 4 kilos of muscle on his 6-foot-8 body and is diligent about making good dietary selections.
“Clearly we wished him with us, as a result of he is a giant deal,” his father, Kenyon Murray, informed the Des Moines Register. “However he actually informed me, ‘Dad, I am unable to go. I am not going to overlook something.
“It is locked up. He says: ‘It is my function to be the chief. And I wish to be in the perfect form. … So, I am happy with him for that, clearly. That reveals how devoted he’s and the way significantly he takes the chance subsequent yr.”
Kris can even be skipping the household’s deliberate trip to South Carolina in early August. Even Keegan will go (accompanied by a Kings coach, after all). The one escape Kris permits himself is a flight south to the DME Academy in Daytona Seashore, Florida, the place the twins spent their freshman yr out of Cedar Rapids Prairie Excessive College making ready for school basketball. On July 28, the Murrays would be the first inductees into the DME Academy Corridor of Fame.
Lengthy story quick, Kris could be very targeted on the upcoming season of Hawkeyes basketball. And as his brother’s inventory continues to soar within the NBA (Keegan was the Summer season League MVP after averaging 23.3 factors and seven.3 rebounds in seven video games for Sacramento), Kris’s highlight shifts. intensifies.
What did he imply by that remark that he was totally different from his brother?
“Numerous what he is speaking about is that he will be a unique participant,” his father stated. “He can dominate the sport as a lot as Keegan did, however he will be in a bit little bit of a unique method as a result of his talent set is a bit bit totally different. Individuals simply have not seen it, have they?
Kris readily admits that he in all probability will not match Keegan’s sophomore scoring output. Keegan set the Iowa single-season scoring report with 822 (surpassing Luka Garza’s earlier mark of 747) and averaged 23.5 per recreation, essentially the most of any energy convention participant. Whereas enjoying together with his brother, Kris has at all times dealt with the ball extra though they’ve almost an identical bodily attributes.
We noticed Kris’ potential within the pockets a yr in the past, particularly when he scored 29 factors towards Indiana with Keegan in foul bother.
Now, it is Kris’s present. And the possibility to create her personal legacy.
That is the primary time he’ll play on a staff with out his brother. He may have adopted Keegan to the NBA. As Iowa coach Fran McCaffery revealed Tuesday, Kris was assured to be a second-round decide and get a two-way NBA deal wherein he may spend a part of subsequent season with the large membership and half within the NBA. G League. The 2-way contracts are price about $502,000, or about half the minimal wage for a full-time rookie.
Turning down half one million {dollars} to guide the Hawkeyes must be appreciated by Iowa followers.
“He accepted the problem to return. He took a chance on himself,” McCaffery stated. “Numerous guys, if they’ve a two-way, they take it.
“He loves his teammates and desires the duty that’s going to be placed on him. And he is prepared for it.”
And whereas his numbers subsequent season (which begins Nov. 7) may not match Keegan’s (everybody ought to understand that), Kris desires to play the second and even third weekend of the NCAA Event. As followers of Hawkeye know, he has gone since 1999 since his staff reached a Candy 16.
With seven seniors, together with Kris, and 4 gamers with important beginning expertise, there’s not-so-quiet hope in Iowa Metropolis that this staff could possibly be nearly as good as or higher than the one which racked up 26 wins (second-most at school historical past), gained a Massive Ten Convention match title and was ranked No. 5 within the Massive Dance.
Iowa’s non-conference schedule is a beast: six energy convention groups, together with a matchup with Duke within the Jimmy V Basic on Dec. 6 in New York Metropolis. McCaffery would not have put collectively such a problem if he did not suppose his staff may deal with it.
And he is aware of that Kris is the man who will lead them. His time is right here.
“You will notice totally different stats of mine growing. We can have a really balanced checklist this yr. We’ve lots of people who will see that they’ve grown quite a bit this offseason. So I believe we can have a extremely balanced staff that may go very far.
“Hopefully we’re enjoying in April of this yr.”
Hawkeyes columnist Chad Leistikow has lined sports activities for 27 years with The Des Moines Register, USA TODAY and Iowa Metropolis Press-Citizen. Comply with @ChadLeistikow on Twitter.
