It’s not a first in NBA history, but for the Murray brothers, it will be a big moment. Indeed, this Wednesday evening, Keegan and Kris Murray will find themselves facing each other on the floor, for the trip from Portland to Sacramento.
Like the twins Dick and Tom Van Arsdale, Horace and Harvey Grant, Jason and Jarron Collins before them, or even Brook and Robin Lopez, Marcus and Markieff Morris, Caleb and Cody Martin currently, the Murray brothers will compete in the NBA.
Except that for them, it’s a huge first because they played together at the University of Iowa. They have never crossed swords in an official match. “It can be weird because we’ve never been on one side or the other before. It will be different. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing.”comments Keegan Murray For Andscape.
” I am impatient “, adds Kris, who with his brother forms the eighth set of twins in NBA history. “It will be cool to play against him, especially since we grew up watching the NBA together. My parents will be impatient too. They will undoubtedly shed their little tear. »
A need to separate
If Keegan had a very interesting first season in Sacramento during the 2022/23 financial year, Kris is having a more difficult start in the NBA at the moment since Chauncey Billups is playing little. But he appreciates being away from his brother, which was already the case last year in the NCAA.
“We clearly needed some time away from each other. It’s obvious that twins do a little bit of everything together. So we arrived at the moment when it was necessary to separate. It was precious,” Kris says. “I enjoyed my college experience last year and being able to make a name for myself. We would have liked to be together, but it suits us perfectly. »
The idea of joining his brother on the Kings had germinated in Kris at the time of the Draft, and perhaps one day, the Murray brothers will wear the same jersey. “It would be nice to play together at some point”confirms Keegan. “But being in Portland and separated from me, I think it’s a good thing for him, to go on his own. »
In the meantime, if Kris gets some playing time in California, they will rediscover the sensations that were those of their childhood, when they competed one-on-one.
“Before university, we did so many one-on-ones that it was hard for everyone to score,” Keegan remembers. “My father got tired of us talking and pushing each other, so he forced us out of the room. It was a memorable moment because we then knew that we understood each other a little better. »
| Keegan Murray | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2022-23 | BAG | 80 | 30 | 45.3 | 41.1 | 76.5 | 1.1 | 3.5 | 4.6 | 1.2 | 2.0 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 12.2 |
| 2023-24 | BAG | 6 | 34 | 35.8 | 26.0 | 75.0 | 1.7 | 4.3 | 6.0 | 2.0 | 2.7 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 12.8 |
| Total | 86 | 30 | 44.4 | 39.7 | 76.4 | 1.2 | 3.6 | 4.7 | 1.3 | 2.1 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 12.2 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
| Kris Murray | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2023-24 | POR | 2 | 6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Total | 2 | 6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
