Keegan Murray Declares for 2022 NBA Draft, Forgoes Junior Year; Projected Top 5 Pick
Iowa star Keegan Murray announced Tuesday he's entering the 2022 NBA draft.
"As a kid, I dreamed of playing in Carver-Hawkeye Arena and wearing the black and gold," Murray said in a statement. "I am forever grateful that coach McCaffery gave me the opportunity to live out my dream. You believed in me when few did, and you're a big part of why I'm in this position today."
Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman projected Murray to go fifth overall to the Indiana Pacers.
Head coach Fran McCaffery showered Murray with praise:
"We are excited for Keegan as he begins his professional journey. He has earned the right to be a lottery pick. Keegan is incredibly professional and even keeled with everything he does. Not only did Keegan accomplish things no other Hawkeye underclassman has ever done, but he also represented our program at the highest level. We fully support Keegan and will assist him every way we can throughout the draft process."
The 6'8" forward took a big jump forward in his sophomore year. He went from being a reserve for the Hawkeyes in 2020-21 to averaging 23.5 points and 8.7 rebounds, leading the team in both categories. He also shot 55.4 percent from the field and 39.8 percent from beyond the arc.
When Wasserman released his big board in November, Murray only came in at 43rd. By March, Wasserman was slotting him between fifth and seventh, and he compared the Hawkeyes standout to Jerami Grant and Kyle Kuzma:
"Murray doesn't possess the same shiftiness or face-up game as Grant, but he similarly uses a combination of shot-making versatility and physical tools. Murray is currently more functional finding ways to score off the ball, like Grant was out of Syracuse. But the Iowa star is gradually flashing more self-creation."
Given how much Murray's stock has risen, Tuesday's announcement was widely expected.
His departure is obviously a big blow to Iowa, which is also saying goodbye to Jordan Bohannon after he exhausted the entirety of his NCAA eligibility.
For now, there isn't a bounty of talent on its way to Iowa City, either. McCaffery has the No. 58 class in 247Sports' composite team rankings for 2022. Point guard Dasonte Bowen and shooting guard Josh Dix are the only members of the incoming class so far.
McCaffery may not be a big fan of the NCAA's current transfer rules, but dipping into the portal might be a necessity in order to get Iowa back to the NCAA tournament in 2023.
