Hawkeyes can look ahead optimistically despite Keegan Murray’s departure

So let’s look ahead, Iowa Hawkeyes men’s basketball-wise.

Losing a generational player like Keegan Murray hurts the Hawkeyes, of course, but it’s more sweet than bitter. Because on Thursday night, amid players from the usual suspects like Duke, Gonzaga, Arizona and Kentucky, a very high NBA draft pick came from Iowa.

That was a first to see here in Hawkeye World, at least for those who aren’t AARP members. It’s the kind of good attention a program can’t buy. It told top AAU players from border to border that you can get to the NBA Draft’s green room from Iowa City.

Murray is gone to the Sacramento Kings after his spectacular sophomore season, but his impact should help Fran McCaffery continue to do what seldom is done. He has kept his program steadily going upward.

The Hawkeyes have three straight winning seasons in the Big Ten for the first time since the late 1980s. They still have unattained accomplishments, yes. There has been no Big Ten regular-season title, no deep NCAA tournament run.

Progress, however, has been consistent. The Hawkeyes were established residents of the AP Top 25 in 2019, 2020 and 2021, and won the Big Ten tournament this year and finished the season ranked No. 16.

They’ve gone from not being an NBA pipeline to putting Tyler Cook, Luka Garza and Joe Wieskamp in the league, and now have sent the program’s highest draft pick ever in Murray.

On Thursday, McCaffery locked in commitments from two highly promising players from Illinois, 2023 guard Brock Harding of Moline and 4-star 2024 forward Cooper Koch of Peoria.

Outgoing assistant coach Kirk Speraw was in on the beginning of Harding’s recruitment. Speraw’s recent replacement, Matt Gatens, jumped in and helped seal the deal.

McCaffery brought in a really good player from Waukee last year in Payton Sandfort. His brother, Pryce Sandfort, is a 4-star 2023 recruit. Oh yes, the Hawkeyes definitely are recruiting him.

Given the fluidity of college basketball rosters in the transfer portal age, Iowa’s has been quite stable from year to year. Which brings us to Kris Murray, who is about to enter his third season in the program.

Kris went from a seldom-used reserve as a freshman to a valued rotation player as a sophomore, averaging 9.7 points. He showed he could hit 3-pointers, showed he could block shots.

He and his twin brother have never been apart. Now, it’s Kris Time.

“We’re glad that we’re apart,” Keegan said his introductory press conference in Sacramento Saturday. “I think that we’ve grown enough with each other at this point in our lives.

“He’ll do his thing at Iowa and he’ll have a great career. I’m excited to see his season next year.”

What should comfort Hawkeye fans is that Kris played some of his best ball with Keegan not on the court.

Kris’ lone start of last season was when Keegan had an ankle injury and couldn’t play in the Hawkeyes’ 77-70 loss at Purdue last Dec. 3. Kris hit a 3-pointer during an 11-0 second-half run that pulled Iowa within 70-68. He played 26 minutes, scored 12 points.

His game of games was Jan. 14 at home against Indiana. Keegan got in first-half foul trouble. Kris came in and scored 17 points before halftime on his way to 29 with 11 rebounds, three blocks and three steals in Iowa’s 83-74 win.

Returnees Patrick McCaffery (10.5 points per game) and Tony Perkins (11.3 ppg over his last nine games) should only improve. If Kris Murray as much as approaches what his brother did last season, the Hawkeyes will be in the Big Ten’s upper division yet again.

A Sacramento reporter tried to get a rise out of Keegan Saturday by telling him his brother was pegged going to Sacramento in one of those way-too-early 2023 mock drafts. Kris does seem like a good bet to be somewhere in the NBA next year, though.

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