Jamal Murray
 Murray in Kentucky's 2015 Blue-White scrimmage | |
| No. 23 – Kentucky Wildcats | |
|---|---|
| Position | Guard |
| League | Southeastern Conference |
| Personal information | |
| Born |
February 23, 1997 Kitchener, Ontario |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Listed height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
| Listed weight | 207 lb (94 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school |
Grand River (Kitchener, Ontario) Orangeville Prep (Orangeville, Ontario) |
| College | Kentucky (2015–2016) |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
|
Medals
| |
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Jamal Murray (born February 23, 1997) is a Canadian basketball player for the University of Kentucky Wildcats of the NCAA. He is considered a potential top prospect for the 2016 NBA draft.[1][2]
Early life
Murray was born and raised in Kitchener, Ontario, the son of Sylvia and Roger Murray, who was born in Jamaica and moved to Canada at age nine.[1][3][4] He also has a younger brother, Lamar. His father grew up running track and field and playing basketball; as a youth, he played against Kitchener native Lennox Lewis before Lewis began his professional boxing career.[1][3]
When Murray was three years old, he could play basketball "for hours" and played in a league for ten-year-olds when he was six.[2][3] By the age of 12 or 13, he began playing pick-up games against top high school and college players. His father put him through many basketball drills and kung fu exercises, including meditation.[2][3]
High school career
Murray attended Grand River Collegiate Institute in Kitchener, later transferring to Orangeville Prep in Orangeville, Ontario, where his father served as an assistant coach.[5] He and fellow prospect Thon Maker formed a duo that would help Orangeville Prep defeat many American schools.[3]
At the 2015 Nike Hoop Summit, Murray scored a game-high 30 points and was named the MVP.[6][7]
Murray was named MVP of the 2015 BioSteel All-Canadian Basketball Game, which includes the top high school players in Canada.[1]
Murray played AAU basketball for the CIA Bounce.[2]
College career
On June 24, 2015, Murray committed to Kentucky to play for coach John Calipari.[8][9][10] Murray is the only Kentucky player to have scored over 30 points in more than one game during a freshman season. He is currently tied with Terrence Jones for most points in a game by a UK freshman (35). He was featured on the Midseason Top 25 list for the John R. Wooden Award on January 13, 2016.[11] He was also named to the 35-man midseason watchlist for the Naismith Trophy on February 11.[12]
International career
Murray represented Canada at the 2013 FIBA Americas Under-16 Championship in Uruguay, and averaged 17 points, 6 rebounds and 2.4 steals per game in leading the team to a bronze medal.[13] He played for the Canadian national team at the 2015 Pan American Games, helping the team win a silver medal.[14] His final averages for the tournament were 16.0 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game, while shooting 45.9% from the field.
References
- 1 2 3 4 Meet the Wildcats: Family, basketball at center of Murray’s life CoachCal.com. Accessed on March 21, 2016.
- 1 2 3 4 Zen and the Art of Making the Perfect Player: Meet Kentucky's Jamal Murray Bleacher Report. Accessed on March 21, 2016.
- 1 2 3 4 5 How to Make the Biggest Decision of Your Life Sportsnet.ca. Accessed on March 21, 2016.
- ↑ Stardom Without Skates: Toronto Becomes a Hub of Basketball Talent The New York Times. Accessed on March 21, 2016.
- ↑ Jamal Murray From Orangeville To The NBA?
- ↑ With bright future, Canadian prospect Jamal Murray aspires to 'be more'
- ↑ Canada's Jamal Murray named Nike Hoop Summit MVP
- ↑ Five-star guard Jamal Murray commits to Kentucky over Oregon
- ↑ Secret's out: Murray vaults Cats' class to No. 1
- ↑ Canadian hoops phenom Jamal Murray chooses University of Kentucky
- ↑ Wooden Award Top 25 Announced
- ↑ Payne, Terrence (February 11, 2016). "Naismith Trophy midseason list announced". Fox Sports. Retrieved February 19, 2016.
- ↑ Jamal Murray is a star on the rise
- ↑ Orangeville Prep's Jamal Murray invited to Canada Pan Am team tryouts