Earlier this summer, the Denver Nuggets selected Jamal Murray with the seventh-overall selection in the NBA Draft. Consequently, the city has high expectations for the Kentucky sharpshooter, and after a handful of games at the NBA Summer League, it’s clear that he has all the tools to be an elite offensive player.
“One thing you can say about this guy is that he can put up points,” Adam Mares said as he joined Gil Whiteley on Mile High Sports Radio AM 1340 | FM 104.7. “He can score the basketball, and he can put them up quick.”
With 20-plus points in his final three Summer League games, Murray proved just that. Even with his slow start, it was an impressive tournament for the rookie.
“Scoring is probably the most important part of basketball,” Mares said. “Defense wins championships and a lot of teams’ defensive schemes are important, but you gotta have a guy that can put up 20 points or maybe 30 points any given night. I don’t know if he’s that guy that can be a 30-points-per-game scorer in the NBA, but I know he’s a guy that has a knack of scoring.”
Murray does need improvement on his defensive skills, though. To be successful in the NBA, he will need to be successful on both ends of the court.
“The pick and roll is the big one that I noticed at Summer league,”Mares said. “His footwork, and speed, and timing, and instincts on it will need some improvement. But that is true for most young guys. But I think, especially with him, that will be the one thing that will keep him off the court.”
To hear more Jamal Murray talk, listen to the full discussion below….
https://soundcloud.com/milehighsports/7-26-16-adam-mares-joins-gil-to-talk-about-how-the-nuggets-will-look-this-upcoming-year
Catch the Gil Whiteley Monday to Friday from 11a-1p on Mile High Sports AM 1340 | FM 104.7 or stream live any time for the best local coverage of Colorado sports from Denver’s biggest sports talk lineup.
