Kris Murray returning to Iowa men’s basketball for junior season

While his brother Keegan will likely be a top-5 pick in the NBA Draft later this month, Kris will be back in Iowa City for another year.

Grace Smith

Iowa forward Kris Murray goes up for a shot in the paint during a basketball game between Iowa and No. 6 Purdue at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City on Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022. The Boilermakers defeated the Hawkeyes, 83-73. Murray shot 6-15 in the paint.

Chris Werner, Summer Sports Editor
June 1, 2022

Iowa men’s basketball player Kris Murray announced that he will be returning for his junior season on Wednesday.

Murray declared for the 2022 NBA Draft on April 14 but didn’t hire an agent which allowed him to maintain his college eligibility. June 1 was the deadline for players to either remain in the draft or decide to remove their names. 

During the past few months, Murray was able to work out in front of NBA scouts and get feedback on his game. 

“These past two months have been a tremendous learning process for me,” Murray said in a release. “By going through the NBA Draft process, I believe that it will help me in the long run and this upcoming season at Iowa. I can’t wait to get back to work with my teammates and coaches to play for the best fan base in the world. Go Hawks!”

Last season, the 6-foot-8 Murray tallied career bests in multiple categories. He amassed averages of 9.7 points and 4.3 rebounds off the bench. Murray ranked second on the team in 3-point accuracy in 2021-22, shooting the long ball at a 38.7-percent clip.

“Everyone in our program is very excited to have Kris back,” head coach Fran McCaffery said in a release. “We are happy that Kris had a positive experience going through the NBA process. He gained valuable feedback through workouts and conversations with NBA personnel. Kris will be awesome next year.”

Kris’s twin brother Keegan will likely be taken in the first five picks of this year’s NBA Draft.