Keegan Murray selected to All-Rookie First Team

May 8, 2023, 11:04 AM | Updated: 11:28 am

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 26: Keegan Murray #13 of the Sacramento Kings dribbles the ball agai...

(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Sacramento Kings Beat Writer

A memorable rookie season has officially come to a close for Keegan Murray as the first-year forward has been named to the NBA’s All-Rookie First team.

On Monday morning, the NBA revealed its selections for its two All-Rookie teams, and Murray was one of the five players named to the first team, along with Rookie of the Year winner Paolo Banchero, Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler, Indiana Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin, and Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams.

The 2022-23 Kia NBA All-Rookie First Team:

▪️ Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic
▪️ Walker Kessler, Utah Jazz
▪️ Bennedict Mathurin, Indiana Pacers
▪️ Keegan Murray, Sacramento Kings
▪️ Jalen Williams, Oklahoma City Thunder pic.twitter.com/qUMfWkTN4m

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) May 8, 2023

Murray, the Kings’ fourth-overall pick of the 2022 NBA Draft out of Iowa, was a critical piece of this season’s team that made the NBA Playoff for the first time since 2006.

The 22-year-old finished the regular season with averages of 12.2 points and 4.6 rebounds per game while shooting 45 percent from the field and 41 percent from three-point range over 80 appearances.

It was a record-breaking rookie season for Murray, who topped Donovan Mitchell’s rookie three-point record of 187 made triples. Murray finished the season with 206 made threes–the sixth-most during a single season in Sacramento Kings franchise history.

Murray’s 206 triples led the 2022 rookie class, with the next-closest on the leaderboard being Jabari Smith Jr. and Jaden Ivey, with 120 made triples each.

Among players that attempted at least 400 three-point field goals this season, Murray ranks fifth in three-point field goal percentage (.410). The rookie converted five-or-more three-point field goals in 10 games this season. No other rookie did so on more than three occasions.

The rookie didn’t have to wait long to make his first NBA Playoff appearance, as Sacramento finished the season with the third-best record in the Western Conference and played a hard-fought seven-game series against the defending champion Golden State Warriors.

After struggling out of the gates, Murray finished the series strong by averaging 14.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 1.0 assists per game while shooting 51 percent from the field and 46 percent from three-point range during Games 4 through 7.

The future is bright for the Sacramento Kings, and Murray is expected to be a large part of this young core that also includes All-Star talents De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis.

Murray has excelled at every level for the Kings thus far, whether is be winning the Summer League MVP award last summer, being named to the Rising Stars game in February, and now, an All-Rookie selection.

What’s next for Murray? We’ll find out in the coming years.

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