6. Kris Murray, Iowa
He may not be as polished as an NBA Draft prospect as his brother was last season, but Kris Murray is a player that will get some first-round consideration in this year’s NBA Draft. After spending three productive seasons at Iowa, Murray is ready to make the jump to the NBA. During his junior season at Iowa, Murray averaged 20 points, eight rebounds, and two assists per game on 48 percent shooting from the field and 34 percent shooting from 3-point range.
At the next level, Murray projects as a bit of a tweener and will likely be able to play the small forward or power forward position, depending on how his athleticism measures up over the course of the next few weeks. Ultimately, it’s his offensive potential that will attract teams to him in the draft.
Murray has shown the ability to score all over the court in such a natural way, in the flow of the offense. And that could prove to be valuable for teams that are looking for depth on the wing or in the frontcourt.
The big question is whether Murray will have enough quickness to be an effective defender at the next level. Without that certainty, it’s hard to project him from a long-term perspective. But he’s clearly talented enough to be an NBA player.