Jamal Murray says he’s the best prospect in the 2016 NBA Draft after working out for Celtics
The Kentucky guard put on an impressive shooting display while visiting Boston.
Kentucky guard Jamal Murray is expected to be available when the Celtics make the No. 3 overall selection during the 2016 NBA draft. If you believe the 19-year-old prospect, he would be a steal for Boston, even at that spot in the draft.
“I believe I’m the best player in this draft,” Murray said while at the Celtics’ practice facility for a pre-draft workout on Wednesday. “But every team needs what they need.”
The 6-foot-5 sharpshooter tried to back up that confident mindset in his individual draft workout for the Celtics. Boston is only one of four teams that Murray is working out for during the pre-draft process, joining Phoenix, Minnesota and New Orleans.
The highly touted prospect averaged 20 points and 5.2 rebounds per game during his freshman year while hitting a terrific 40 percent of his 3-point attempts.
Murray gave the Celtics an impressive look at his 3-point shooting prowess, setting a new workout record by making 79 of 100 attempts from 10 different spots on the court in a shooting drill. The mark bested Gonzaga’s Kyle Wiltjer, who made 77 in a session last month.
While Murray primarily played shooting guard in Kentucky’s backcourt, he believes his experience playing point guard throughout his high school career will allow him to handle both positions at the NBA level.
“I have the mind of a 1 in a 2-guard’s body,” Murray said. “I believe I can score on anybody. In college, I got better at playing the 2, kind of got a feel for it coming off screens, found my rhythm. Before that I was a natural point guard. I’m a big guard, whether a 1 or 2.”
The Celtics already have a crowded backcourt, but that kind of competition does not intimidate Murray. Instead, he feels it would help him improve his overall game.
“It’s only going to make me better,” he said. “Going against guys like Avery Bradley, Isaiah Thomas, small defensive guards. Marcus Smart is always very physical and can help me offensively.”
With Boston finishing in the bottom five in the NBA leaderboard for 3-point shooting percentage over the past couple seasons, it’s a safe bet that Murray will get some serious consideration from Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge at the No. 3 selection.
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