Iowa Hawkeyes forward Keegan Murray (15) runs down the court during the first half of the Big Ten championship title game Sunday, March 13, 2022, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Iowa won, 75-66. Iowa Hawkeyes Versus Purdue Boilermakers In Big Ten Men S Championship Title Game On Sunday March 13 2022 At Gainbridge Fieldhouse In Indianapolis
NCAABy Sean Keeley on

Iowa Hawkeyes sophomore Keegan Murray had an amazing 2021-2022 college basketball season, earning a consensus first-team All-American nod and leading Iowa to a Big Ten tournament championship, scoring 103 points in four games while doing so. That will end up being his legacy there as Murray announced on Tuesday that he will enter the 2022 NBA Draft.

https://twitter.com/keegan3murray/status/1508911504418091012

Murray averaged 23.5 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks in 32 minutes per game this season. It’s no surprise that he is also a finalist for the Wooden, Naismith, and Lute Olson awards, all of which goes to the top player in Division I men’s basketball each year.

It was a huge leap given that he was a bench player as a freshman, averaging 7.2 points per game. One year later he would rank No. 4 in the country in scoring and No. 1 in player efficiency rating (PER).

“I am forever grateful that Coach [Fran] McCaffery gave me the opportunity to live out my dream,” Murray told ESPN on Tuesday. “Iowa will always be my home and I’m forever grateful to be part of Hawkeye Nation.”

While Iowa finished 26-10 and made the NCAA Tournament as a 5-seed, it was a bitter ending as they lost to 12-seed Richmond in the first round.

While Murray’s time with Iowa was brief, the reaction to this news certainly garnered a huge reaction from Hawkeyes fans who see it as bittersweet, and the rest of the basketball world which is excited to see where he’ll be drafted.

[Keegan Murray]

About Sean Keeley

Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Editorial Strategy Director for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.

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