Update on Iowa forward Kris Murray’s NBA draft situation

He won’t participate in next week’s NBA Draft Combine but will remain an early entry in the draft

May. 11, 2022 9:26 am, Updated: May. 11, 2022 10:29 am

Keegan Murray (15) and Kris Murray (24) watch their Iowa men’s basketball team close out a win over Nebraska on Feb. 13 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. (Geoff Stellfox/The Gazette)

Iowa men’s basketball forward Kris Murray was invited to next week’s NBA Draft Combine in Chicago, but has declined to participate.

However, the junior-to-be from Cedar Rapids remains a draft early entry.

“Kris will continue to get feedback from NBA teams though he’s not participating in the combine,” said his father, Kenyon Murray, on Wednesday morning. “He’ll wait until (the league’s) June 1 deadline to stay in the draft or come back (to Iowa).”

Kris Murray will be in private workouts for NBA teams in Chicago next week, getting evaluations from them to learn where he’s at in their eyes. He and his brother, Keegan Murray, have been training there the last few weeks.

“He’ll continue to get feedback,” Kenyon Murray said. “He loves training. It’s crazy how much he’s improved in the last 3 1/2 weeks. If he comes back to Iowa, he’ll be better.”

Kris Murray averaged 9.7 points coming off the bench for Iowa last season. His brother, Keegan Murray, also entered the draft after an All-America season for the Hawkeyes in 2021-22.

Keegan was invited to the combine. Like most consensus lottery picks-to-be, he won’t participate in the five-on-five portion of the combine.

Keegan is projected by nearly all NBA draft forecasters to be taken in the first five to seven picks of the June 23 draft.

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