Introduction
Kristopher James Murray (born August 19, 2000) is an American professional basketball player for the Portland Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Iowa Hawkeyes of the Big Ten Conference from 2020 to 2023. He was first-team All-Big Ten in his final year with the Hawkeyes. He is the twin brother of basketball player Keegan Murray, who plays for the Sacramento Kings.
Early life and high school career
Murray grew up in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and attended Prairie High School, where he played basketball with his twin brother Keegan as a teammate. He was named first team All-Metro and second team All-State after averaging 19.5 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 2.5 blocks, and 1.1 steals per game. Following graduation, Murray and his brother enrolled at DME Academy in Daytona Beach, Florida for a postgraduate year. Both brothers committed to playing college basketball for Iowa.
College career
Murray played in 13 games, all off the bench, and 41 total minutes as a freshman for the Iowa Hawkeyes. As a sophomore, he averaged 9.7 points and 4.3 rebounds over 35 games with one start. Following the end of the season, Murray entered the 2022 NBA draft after his brother had already done so. He ultimately withdrew his name from the draft shortly after declining an invitation to the NBA Draft Combine.
Murray entered his junior season at Iowa on the watchlists for the Karl Malone Award and the John R. Wooden Award. He averaged 20.2 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 2 assists per game and was named first-team All-Big Ten Conference at the end of the season. Murray was also named a third-team All-American by the Associated Press, United States Basketball Writers Association, and the Sporting News. After the season, he entered the 2023 NBA draft, where he was selected 23rd overall by the Portland Trail Blazers.
Professional career
Portland Trail Blazers (2023–present)
Murray was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round of the 2023 NBA draft with the 23rd overall pick and on July 1, 2023, he signed with the Blazers.
Career statistics
College
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020–21 | Iowa | 13 | 0 | 3.2 | .231 | .000 | 1.000 | .6 | .1 | .1 | .1 | .6 |
| 2021–22 | Iowa | 35 | 1 | 17.9 | .479 | .387 | .645 | 4.3 | 1.1 | .8 | .9 | 9.7 |
| 2022–23 | Iowa | 29 | 29 | 34.9 | .476 | .335 | .729 | 8.9 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 20.2 |
| Career | 77 | 30 | 31.8 | .473 | .348 | .699 | 8.0 | 2.2 | 1 | 1 | 12.1 | |
Personal life
Murray's father, Kenyon, was a 4-year starter for the Iowa Hawkeyes from 1992–1996, and was high school Mr. Basketball in Michigan in 1992. Kris's twin brother Keegan was a top 5 pick in 2022 draft and currently plays for the Sacramento Kings. Kris was named after the late Chris Street.