Las Vegas Summer League showdown: Keegan Murray vs. Paolo Banchero in Kings-Magic game
Two of the top picks in June’s NBA draft will go head-to-head when the Kings play their Las Vegas Summer League opener against the Orlando Magic at 1 p.m. Saturday at Thomas & Mack Center.
Orlando selected Paolo Banchero with the No. 1 pick in the draft. Sacramento selected Keegan Murray with the No. 4 pick. Now, the two of them will meet in one of the marquee rookie matchups on the first weekend in Las Vegas.
Both were regarded as two of the most NBA-ready players in the draft. Both have already gotten a taste of summer league competition.
Murray led the Kings to a 3-0 showing at the California Classic with blowout wins over the Golden State Warriors, Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers. Banchero led the Magic to a 91-77 victory over No. 3 pick Jabari Smith Jr. and the Houston Rockets on Thursday on opening night in Las Vegas.
The Kings enter as the reigning champions after going 5-0 to win their second Las Vegas Summer League title in 2021. In order to get back to the championship game, Sacramento will have to go through the Magic, Indiana Pacers, Oklahoma City Thunder and Phoenix Suns.
Their quest starts with Banchero, a 6-foot-10, 250-pound power forward from Duke who put up big numbers against the Rockets. He finished with 17 points, four rebounds, six assists and one steal, going 5 of 12 from the field, 2 of 3 from 3-point range and 5 of 5 at the free-throw line.
Murray, a 6 -8, 215-pound power forward from Iowa, was even better in his debut, an 86-68 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Saturday at Chase Center in San Francisco. He posted 26 points and eight rebounds with zero turnovers in 28 minutes. He made 10 of 14 field-goal attempts, 4 of 5 from 3-point range and both of his free-throw attempts.
Banchero, 19, was long projected as a top-three pick, but he emerged as Orlando’s choice at No. 1 in the final hours before the draft. He averaged 17.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.1 steals and 0.9 blocks as a freshman at Duke last season.
Murray, 21, had a breakout sophomore season at Iowa, where he averaged 23.5 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.9 blocks and 1.3 steals. He shot 55.4% from the field and 39.8% from 3-point range, emerging as one of the nation’s best and most polished two-way talents.
Murray was a finalist for the Naismith Men’s College Player of the Year award along with Kentucky’s Oscar Tshiebwe, Kansas’ Ochai Agbaji and Wisconsin’s Johnny Davis. The award went to Tshiebwe, but many analysts felt Murray was the best player in college basketball.
The Kings chose Murray at No. 4 over Purdue guard Jaden Ivey, who had 20 points on 6-of-14 shooting with six rebounds, six assists and five turnovers in the Detroit Pistons’ 81-78 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday. Shaedon Sharpe, the No. 7 pick in the draft, logged only six minutes before leaving the game with a shoulder injury.
Another highly anticipated rookie matchup will take place Saturday when Smith leads the Rockets against No. 2 pick Chet Holmgren and the Thunder. Holmgren had 23 points, seven rebounds, six blocks and four steals against the Utah Jazz in his debut at the Salt Lake City Summer League on Tuesday.
The Thunder chose to rest Holmgren in Thursday’s 80-79 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers in Salt Lake City, but he is expected to be available in Las Vegas. The Kings will play the Thunder on Wednesday.
This story was originally published July 8, 2022 at 12:46 PM.
