IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa men’s basketball sophomore forward Keegan Murray announced on Tuesday that he has declared for the NBA Draft and will forego his remaining years of college eligibility.
Murray had a breakout sophomore campaign earning consensus first-team All-America honors as well as being a unanimous first-team All-Big Ten honoree. Murray is a finalist for the Naismith and Lute Olson Player of the Year awards, the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award and Lefty Driesell Defensive Player of the Year, as well as being on the Wooden Award National Ballot.
“We are excited for Keegan as he begins his professional journey,” said head coach Fran McCaffery. “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.”
“I am excited to announce that I will be entering my name into the 2022 NBA Draft,” said Murray. “I cannot thank my teammates and coaching staff enough for everything they have done for me and this program. I am forever grateful that Coach McCaffery for giving me the opportunity to live out my dream. I am in this position today because he believed in me when few did.”
— Keegan Murray (@keegan3murray) March 29, 2022
Earlier this month, Murray became the program’s fourth consensus first-team All-American, joining Murray Wier (1948), Charles Darling (1952), and Garza (2020 and 2021).
Murray (6-foot-8, 225 pounds) ranks first in the country in Player Efficiency Rating (37.8); fourth in points per game (23.5); 34th in field goal percentage (.554); 46th in blocks per contest (1.94); and 51st in double-doubles (10). His 23.5 points per game average is tops among players from a major conference and marks the third consecutive season a Hawkeye has led the Big Ten in scoring (Garza in 2020 and 2021). Murray is the only player nationally to average 23+ points and 8+ rebounds this season.
Murray averaged 7.2 points per game last year and averaged 23.5 this season (+16.3). The last Big Ten player to increase his scoring by 16 points per game from one season to the next was Illinois’ Rick Schmidt, who went from 3.8 ppg in 1972-73 to 21.4 ppg in 1973-74 (+17.6).
The Cedar Rapids, Iowa, native tallied 20+ points 26 times and 25+ points 16 times this season, both of which rank first nationally. Murray was voted the Big Ten Tournament Most Outstanding Player after totaling a tournament record 103 points and 38 field goals made in four games in leading the Hawkeyes to their third tournament championship and first since 2006.
2022 KEEGAN MURRAY HONORS
• Naismith Player of the Year Trophy Finalist
• Lute Olson National Player of the Year Finalist
• Lefty Driesell Defensive Player of the Year Finalist
• Consensus First Team All-America
• Sporting News First Team All-America
• Associated Press First Team All-America
• USBWA First Team All-America
• The Athletic First Team All-America
• NABC Second Team All-America Team
• NABC First Team All-District Team
• USBWA All-District VI Team
• All-Big Ten First Team honoree (unanimous)
• Associated Press All-Big Ten First Team selection (unanimous)
• John R. Wooden Award National Ballot (Semifinalist)
• Big Ten Tournament Most Outstanding Player and All-Tournament Team
• Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Finalist
• NABC First Team All-District
• The Athletic Midseason Second Team All-America
• Naismith Trophy National Player of the Week (Feb. 14)
• Big Ten Co-Player of the Week (March 7)
• Big Ten Player of the Week (Feb. 28)
• Big Ten Co-Player of the Week (Feb. 14)
• Big Ten Player of the Week (Jan. 3)
• Big Ten Player of the Week (Dec. 20)
• Big Ten Co-Player of the Week (Nov. 22)
