Keegan Murray has been worth every dime for the Sacramento Kings. Gaining victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers with a stunning 132-120, Murray was just behind De’Aaron Fox in the points department. Since the Kings drafted him, top names in the NBA, including Thompson and George, have praised the young forward’s skills.
And now, with a five-game victory in the in-season tournament, Murray continues his onslaught. Coach Mike Brown said as much post-game.
The Kings’ coach has serious responsibilities for Keegan Murray
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
After their win over the Cavs, Mike Brown was quite ecstatic about the 23-year-old forward. He said, “We expect him to be, if not the most versatile defender on our team, at least one of them, and we shouldn’t have a problem at all putting him on … even a bigger guy like LeBron or Kawhi.”
Kings coach Mike Brown on Keegan Murray:
“We expect him to be, if not the most versatile defender on our team, at least one of them, and we shouldn’t have a problem at all putting him on a guy like Steph, a guy like Donovan Mitchell, or even a bigger guy like LeBron or Kawhi.”
— Mark Haynes (@markhaynesnba) November 14, 2023
That’s some heavy-duty stuff right there! But it is not a surprise. The Iowa product has proved to be a “versatile defender”. As mentioned above, Klay seems to have become a huge fan. After he and Paul talked about the impact Murray brings to the Kings on Podcast P with Paul George (August 8, 2023), the Splash Brother commended their matchup on October 28th.
He said that Keegan had “star potential” and was not a player that you would want to “leave open”. Of course not. His use of size and length has often left onlookers in awe. During his rookie year (2022), Murray was on guard duty against Caris LeVert. The way he stayed with LeVert even when he was moving to the paint for a shot before blocking it without a foul is a beautiful example of his skills as early as then.
But what Mike Brown has dumped on Keegan Murray is not an easy job. Let’s hear it from the legends themselves.
What King James and Chef Curry have to say about the toughest defenders they had to face
When it comes to the current legends of the NBA world, the list isn’t complete without James and Curry. Though we all say it’s impossible to stay focused when these two step on the court, there have been some players that have impressed even the King and Chef.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Let’s hear from the Akron Hammer himself first. When asked who defends him the best, Bron gave the credit to none other than the Klaw, Kawhi Leonard. “Kawhi Leonard, he’s solid. He’s solid, solid at that end of the floor,” he said. “He’s very, very solid. I like him. I like the kid.” This happened in 2016 when Kawhi was the reigning DPOY – back-to-back!
We can all agree that there is no doubt even now that the 32-year-old is an elite defender. Moving on to Stephen Curry, his answer to the same question was Avery Bradley. In a Q&A interview, the Golden Boy had initially mentioned his brother Seth Curry to be the best person to defend him. Because Seth knows his game well.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Watch This Story: 5-Time Champion’s Bold Prediction on LeBron James Comes With 1 Crucial Caveat
Aside from his own flesh and blood, Curry’s next option was Avery Bradley. Known to be a hard-nosed defender, Bradley is a brilliant defender in his own right. There you have it – from the mouths of the legends themselves. Can Keegan Murray also grow to be a Kawhi Leonard or Avery Bradley? Let us know what you think in the comments below!