After another blockbuster battle between the Kings and Warriors, one of Golden State's stars was impressed with the up-and-coming Keegan Murray.
Following the Warriors' 122-114 win Friday night at Golden 1 Center, Klay Thompson voiced high praise for Murray, with the legendary sharpshooter showing tremendous respect for the young wing's ability to shoot the ball.
"I think he'll be with the Kings for a long time," Thompson said. "I mean hell, what is he, 22? So yeah, he's got star potential. Between him, [Domantas] Sabonis and [De'Aaron] Fox, that's a nice big three. Keegan, he's one you just can't leave open. He's a great shooter. The next step for him will be [becoming] a complete scorer, and I know that's down the road for him. To be what he's doing at his age is incredible. So, good for him, and good for Sacramento in discovering him."
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After the Kings selected Murray fourth overall in the 2022 NBA Draft, he averaged 12.2 points per game while shooting 41.3 percent beyond the arc. His contributions to the Kings eradicating their 16-year playoff drought earned him First Team All-Rookie honors and placed him in the national spotlight as one of the league's budding young stars.
Through two games this season, Murray has increased his scoring average to 15.5 points per game while nearly doubling his rebounding output from his rookie year with 7.5 boards per game.
Murray tallied 16 points in the Kings' loss to Golden State on Friday, but perhaps the game that truly put him on Thompson's radar came when these two teams squared off in the first round of the 2022 NBA playoffs.
NBA
In a Game 4 thriller at Chase Center, Murray had 23 points while shooting 9-for-13 from the field, including an incredible 5-for-7 from the 3-point line.
Despite the Warriors pulling out a down-to-the-wire win, Murray made a significant statement with his performance that he is a player who can deliver in high-pressure moments on the game's biggest stage.
Murray will look to continue building on a solid start to his second NBA season on Sunday when the Kings host the Los Angeles Lakers at Golden 1 Center.