Category: Basketball

Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander named NBA MVP for 2024-25 season: Report originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Welcome to the MVP club, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

The Oklahoma City Thunder star reportedly has won the 2024-25 NBA MVP award, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.

It marks the first for Gilgeous-Alexander, who played a leading role in the Thunder’s league-best 68-14 record that saw them top the Western Conference ladder.

Gilgeous-Alexander posted averages of 32.7 points, 6.4 assists, 5.0 rebounds, 1.7 steals and 1.0 blocks on a 51.9/37.5/89.8 shooting split. His points and assists averages marked career highs.

A three-time All-Star, the Kentucky product was the season’s scoring champion for the first time. Oklahoma City acquired the Toronto native after his rookie season with the Los Angeles Clippers, with Paul George the main piece headed the other way.

Gilgeous-Alexander was the No. 11 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, spending just one season as a Wildcat.

He edged three-time MVP Nikola Jokic, who helped Denver to a 50-32 record before losing to Gilgeous-Alexander’s Thunder in the second round. He recorded his first ever triple-double campaign, averaging 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds, 10.2 assists and 1.8 steals.

Only Oscar Robertson (1961-62) and Russell Westbrook (2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2020-21) have averaged a triple double over the course of a season.

The Nuggets star won the MVP in consecutive years in 2021 and 2022 before picking up his third in 2024, with Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid halting Jokic’s run in 2023. He was attempting to become just the sixth player in league history to win four or more MVP awards — joining Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (6), Michael Jordan (5), Bill Russell (5), LeBron James (4) and Wilt Chamberlain (4).

Gilgeous-Alexander placed second in the MVP voting last season, with Jokic the winner and ex-Dallas Maverick Luka Doncic rounding out the top three.

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, who won the MVP back-to-back in 2019 and 2020, was also an MVP finalist. Milwaukee finished 48-34, good for the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference.

Dooling sees Kuminga having McGrady career path if Warriors trade him originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Jonathan Kuminga’s NBA journey has been anything but easy.

And now more than ever, his future with the Warriors — the only NBA organization he’s known — is uncertain as he enters restricted free agency this offseason.

As the “All the Smoke” crew discussed what the future holds for the 22-year-old forward, former NBA guard Keyon Dooling explained how if Kuminga lands elsewhere next season, he could follow a similar career path as Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady.

“If you trade [Kuminga], he’ll be like how Tracy McGrady was when he got traded from the Raptors,” Dooling said. “He’ll be on the cusp, if not an All-Star. He’ll be a very, very talented, lead scorer in the NBA. He’s that talented.”

McGrady spent his first three seasons with the Toronto Raptors but his role varied. In 192 games (53 starts) over three seasons with Toronto, he averaged 11.1 points on 44.8 percent shooting, with 5.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.4 blocks through 24.7 minutes.

After the Raptors’ first-round playoff exit, McGrady became a free agent and signed with the Orlando Magic via a sign-and-trade deal. The Magic helped unlock the best seasons of his Hall of Fame career, averaging 28.1 points, 7.0 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.0 blocks through 39.4 minutes in 295 games (294 starts).

He was named an NBA All-Star for the first time in his career with Orlando, and finished his career as a seven-time All-Star and seven-time All-NBA member. He also won the NBA Most Improved Player during his first season with the Magic.

McGrady finished fourth in NBA MVP voting during his second and third seasons in Orlando, respectively.

All in all, the Magic helped McGrady unleash his full potential as an NBA player, while the Raptors seemingly held him back from doing so.

Kuminga’s role with the Warriors has fluctuated since being selected No. 7 overall in the 2021 NBA Draft. And more recently, a series of DNPs-CD (Did Not Play, Coach’s Decision) raised several eyebrows since being left out of Steve Kerr’s rotation toward the end of the season and to start Golden State’s 2025 playoff run.

It wasn’t until Steph Curry went down with a hamstring injury that Kerr turned to Kuminga, who stepped up massively for the Warriors without their best player. Despite being thrust into the rotation during the Warriors’ second-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Kuminga finished the series averaging 20.8 points on 54.3 percent shooting, with 3.0 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 27.4 minutes off the bench.

While Kuminga showcased his talent on the big stage ahead of a big offseason for the young forward, Matt Barnes believes it’s too late for Kerr and the Warriors to mend that relationship.

“I think the bridge has been burnt between him and Kerr,” Barnes said. “… I don’t know if there’s light at the end of the tunnel. But if he’s able to get out to a new situation and spread his wings, he’s going to be a problem. He’s a 20-plus-point-a-game scorer in this league. He’s freakishly athletic.

His talent is not in question here. It’s just his mentality.”

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All the player and team options ahead for Sixers in 2025 offseason   originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

While the NBA draft and the No. 3 pick has become the hot topic of the Sixers’ offseason, there’s also plenty of other items on the agenda. 

One of those is player and team options, which have a June 29 deadline. Below is an overview for the Sixers: 

Kelly Oubre Jr. — $8.4 million player option 

Jake Fischer and Marc Stein reported on May 11 that the Sixers’ “expectation” is all three of their veterans with player options will return. 

“I’m a Philadelphia 76er,” Oubre said at his exit interview. “I’m blessed to be a part of this organization. I’m here in front of you guys right now … taking it day by day. But also, this is a business. At the end of the day, I’m happy. And I feel like I like to finish what I start, and I don’t feel complete.” 

Oubre has averaged 15.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.3 steals over the past two seasons. He’s remained a subpar outside shooter — 29.3 percent from three-point range last year — but Sixers head coach Nick Nurse has liked his progress as a turnover-forcing defender, athletic wing rebounder and aggressive downhill driver. 

Andre Drummond — $5 million player option 

Drummond’s 2024-25 season was derailed by a left big toe injury. He missed 42 games and couldn’t successfully grit through the problem. 

“I’ll be fine,” Drummond said. “It’s just one of those freak things that requires rest. I can’t muscle through something like that. I’ve tried, but my body was rejecting it. It’s just something you have to sit down with and allow to heal, and I’ll be fine.”

Drummond enjoyed being a mentor for rookie big man Adem Bona, who he called a “sponge.” 

He certainly envisions the Sixers winning a lot more than 24 games next year. 

“There’s more work to do,” Drummond said. “There’s stuff that’s missing that I haven’t completed here yet, which is winning at the highest level. And I still feel that way now. I think we still have the pieces to win at the highest level and think I can be a big part of that, too. 

“So my plan is to come back. Obviously, whatever happens in the offseason, happens. But my immediate plan is to be back here.”

Eric Gordon — $3.5 million player option 

Gordon had a frigid shooting start but ultimately found his form and ended the year at 40.9 percent from three-point range. He underwent right wrist surgery in late February. 

“I haven’t thought that far,” Gordon said of his minimum-salary option. “My main focus is to rehab and just make sure I get fully healthy looking forward to next season.”

Justin Edwards — $2 million team option 

Edwards got his first extended minutes in the Sixers’ rotation on Jan. 4  His rookie year became one of the best parts of the Sixers’ generally bleak season. 

The undrafted wing posted 10.1 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game. 

“We don’t want to be in this situation, but you find some hidden gems and he’s a great hidden gem,” Kyle Lowry said of Edwards on April 1. “He’s really good. He’s professional, he wants to get better, he’s passionate about the game. At the end of the day, he’s just going to continue to get better with this opportunity he’s been handed.”

Edwards is working on his jumper and his body this offseason. Whatever his contract looks like, it seems safe to assume that he’ll stay a Sixer. 

Jared Butler — $2.3 million team option

Over time, Butler grew more comfortable running the shorthanded Sixers’ offense and adapting to an ever-changing cast of teammates. He averaged 11.5 points and 4.9 assists in 28 appearance after being traded to the Sixers.

Not counting any potential draft picks, the Sixers would have four guards 25 years old or younger if they keep both Butler and restricted free agent Quentin Grimes. (Tyrese Maxey and Jared McCain are the other two.) 

Lonnie Walker IV — $2.9 million team option 

Walker’s NBA return hit an unfortunate speed bump when he suffered a concussion on March 12. 

To his credit, Walker finished the year quite well. He posted 22.8 points per game over the Sixers’ last five contests and scored 31 on the season’s final day.

Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander named NBA MVP for 2024-25 season: Report originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Welcome to the MVP club, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

The Oklahoma City Thunder star reportedly has won the 2024-25 NBA MVP award, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.

It marks the first for Gilgeous-Alexander, who played a leading role in the Thunder’s league-best 68-14 record that saw them top the Western Conference ladder.

Gilgeous-Alexander posted averages of 32.7 points, 6.4 assists, 5.0 rebounds, 1.7 steals and 1.0 blocks on a 51.9/37.5/89.8 shooting split. His points and assists averages marked career highs.

A three-time All-Star, the Kentucky product was the season’s scoring champion for the first time. Oklahoma City acquired the Toronto native after his rookie season with the Los Angeles Clippers, with Paul George the main piece headed the other way.

Gilgeous-Alexander was the No. 11 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, spending just one season as a Wildcat.

He edged three-time MVP Nikola Jokic, who helped Denver to a 50-32 record before losing to Gilgeous-Alexander’s Thunder in the second round. He recorded his first ever triple-double campaign, averaging 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds, 10.2 assists and 1.8 steals.

Only Oscar Robertson (1961-62) and Russell Westbrook (2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2020-21) have averaged a triple double over the course of a season.

The Nuggets star won the MVP in consecutive years in 2021 and 2022 before picking up his third in 2024, with Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid halting Jokic’s run in 2023. He was attempting to become just the sixth player in league history to win four or more MVP awards — joining Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (6), Michael Jordan (5), Bill Russell (5), LeBron James (4) and Wilt Chamberlain (4).

Gilgeous-Alexander placed second in the MVP voting last season, with Jokic the winner and ex-Dallas Maverick Luka Doncic rounding out the top three.

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, who won the MVP back-to-back in 2019 and 2020, was also an MVP finalist. Milwaukee finished 48-34, good for the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference.

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Four reasons to embrace the Celtics' upcoming season of uncertainty originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Celtics saw their quest to repeat as NBA champions derailed far earlier than anyone could have predicted (and at the hands of the freakin’ New York Knicks, no less).

Jayson Tatum is out indefinitely after rupturing his Achilles. The roster is set for a cost-cutting overhaul as the rent comes due for all the big spending that helped deliver Banner 18.

All of which makes it understandably difficult to see how Boston maintains its status as a legitimate title contender for the 2025-26 season.

But change also means opportunity, and we’re strangely energized to see how the players who remain on Boston’s roster grasp the chance to step into a bigger spotlight.

A lot of teams in the East have tough decisions to make this offseason — looking at you, Cleveland — and the conference wasn’t exactly overflowing with talent this past year. We don’t think it’s far-fetched to suggest that, with enough pieces back, the Celtics could still be in the mix. 

Yes, the Celtics have tough financial decisions to make, mainly to ensure their long-term sustainability as a title threat. Watching Bill Chisholm’s fan-like energy up close late in the season, we’re confident that every effort will be made to keep this thing afloat despite the obvious short-term obstacles preventing the team from keeping the current core intact.

Here are four reasons to embrace what’s to come in the 2025-26 season:

1. JB in the 1A role

Let’s state the obvious here: This assumes the Celtics keep Jaylen Brown as part of their offseason tinkering, which, if they elect to dip below the second apron but stay above the tax, is the least painful path possible. It would be criminal if the Celtics were forced to consider moving a homegrown superstar because the new CBA extremely limits any team’s ability to build around two max-contract players.

Brown has routinely thrived whenever more is thrown on his plate. Two of his best playoff games — Game 2 vs. Orlando and Game 5 vs. New York — came while Tatum was inactive. Further removed from the knee woes that seemingly hindered much of Brown’s 2024-25 season, we’re invigorated by the possibility of Brown being the focal point of Boston’s roster. 

Let’s be honest: We’ve all wondered if Brown eventually might yearn to be the 1A of a franchise — to step outside Tatum’s shadow and see what he could accomplish as the primary option. Now we might get that preview without having to watch him on another team. 

Brown would be positioned to reassert himself as an All-NBA player. His two-way potential is undeniable, and Boston’s best basketball in recent seasons has come when Brown has embraced defending the best scorer on the opposing team.

Brown needs to find more consistency with his 3-point shot. He needs to continue to tighten up the ball-handling and limit turnovers. But each year we see strides with his playmaking. We’re intrigued by the idea of watching Brown try to hold the fort while Tatum rehabs. Regardless of how the 2025-26 season plays out, it has potential to set the team up nicely for when the Jays would be reunited down the road. 

At a time when Celtics fans are feeling a little melancholy about the future of the team, it feels appropriate that the guy dubbed the Energy Shifter might be the one who can bring back some optimism.

2. Payton Pritchard: Fifth Man of the Year?

Regardless of whether the Celtics are forced to move Jrue Holiday’s salary to aid cost cutting, there will be at least one opening in Boston’s starting five with Tatum rehabbing. One season after running away with the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award, it might be time to answer another longstanding query: Would Payton Pritchard thrive as a starter?

Pritchard’s base stats in 17 games as a starter during his career are solid: 17.2 points, 6.4 assists, and 5.1 rebounds. That’s while shooting 46.5 percent from the floor, 37.9 percent beyond the 3-point arc, and 100 percent at the free throw line. In Pritchard’s three starts this past season, those numbers spiked to 21.7 points, 7.3 assists, and 5 rebounds per game on 48.2/32.1/100 percent shooting splits. 

Pritchard’s evolution has been fun to chronicle, from a frustrated young player on a team with an overloaded guard depth chart, to key role player on a title team, to the best bench weapon in the NBA. Now it could be time to really turn Pritchard loose.

3. Which of the kids is ready to break out?

With so much uncertainty around the team’s core — we’d go so far as to suggest that the Celtics could be without at least four players from their nine-man core of the past two seasons, counting Tatum — there is ample opportunity for some of the remaining younger players to prove they can blossom in elevated roles. 

Can Baylor Scheierman thrive as a bench shooter if the team can’t afford to carry Hauser when his extension kicks in this summer? With his penchant for flashy playmaking, Scheierman was one of the bright spots among developmental talent at the end of the 2024-25 season. 

Jordan Walsh logged only 400 total minutes last season (7.8 per game). After making a strong case for an increased role out of training camp, he never quite did enough to fully earn head coach Joe Mazzulla’s trust. But the absence of Tatum will create ample opportunity for the team’s bench wings to show what they can do.

Walsh, if he survives any roster shuffling, must showcase the progress made behind the scenes. That he’s still only 21 years old suggests there’s plenty of runway.

J.D. Davison’s 2025-26 salary is non-guaranteed — with a June 29 decision date looming — after getting called up to the parent squad, and the team will have to decide if they want him back as a depth option. Davison, the 53rd pick in the 2022 draft, is still only 22 years old.

Does fellow Maine stalwart Drew Peterson get a spot on the parent roster after a couple seasons as two-way player? The team added Miles Norris as a two-way player late in the season, too. 

The Celtics have until opening night before Neemias Queta’s $2.4 million salary is fully guaranteed (only half of it is before that).

4. No expectations

No matter how much Mazzulla craved a bullseye between his team’s eyes last season, there was undeniably added pressure in the quest to be the Celtics first repeat champion in a half century. Heavy is the head that wears the crown.

But much of that pressure will be relieved next season. There will be no stressing about the potential “Last Dance” that last season’s team endured. Opponents won’t arrive to TD Garden with quite as much desire to take a swing at the king; another team will wear that target next season. Without Tatum, expectations for the Celtics will plummet. 

It’s been a while since the Celtics were underdogs. They might just thrive in that role (and they can still bark like the road dawgs of last season). The Celtics could have a new freedom that might let the natural talents of their players carry them. There will be no lofty goals, just a willingness to see where the road takes them.

We like the idea of Derrick White as your No. 2 option. The elusive All-Star nod might arrive for him next season. Kristaps Porzingis could have a chance to remind the NBA how impactful he can be when not battling mystery illnesses. Mazzulla should be eager to show he can push all the right buttons with whatever collection of talent is assembled.

Instead of worrying singularly about how the season might end, everyone can just enjoy the ride next year.

Cousins believes Kerr ‘ruined' Warriors' relationship with Kuminga originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Former NBA star DeMarcus Cousins believes the relationship between the Warriors and forward Jonathan Kuminga is at a point of no return. 

But who is at fault? 

The former Golden State big man singled out his former coach Steve Kerr after mismanaging Kuminga’s rotation shifts at the end of the regular season and into the NBA playoffs. 

“I think they lost Kuminga. I think Steve Kerr ruined that relationship with the DNPs,” Cousins told Chandler Parsons on FanDuel TV’s “Run It Back.”

Demarcus Cousins thinks the Warriors lost Jonathan Kuminga because of Steve Kerr

“I think they lost [Kuminga]. I think Steve Kerr ruined that relationship with the DNPs. We’ve seen this happen time and time again when it comes to him and dealing with young talent. He doesn’t… pic.twitter.com/b0msD8mVYD

— GSW Ball Report (@GSWBallReport) May 21, 2025

For Golden State, a significant summer storyline is what to do with the 22-year-old forward, who, despite the DNPs, burst back onto the scene after Steph Curry sustained a Grade 1 left hamstring strain in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals.

After failing to agree to a contract extension before the 2024-25 season began, Kuminga is a restricted free agent. He can sign an offer sheet from another team, giving Golden State the right to match, or they can work out a sign-and-trade with another team.

Regardless of how the situation pans out, Cousins doubled down by questioning Kerr’s ability to develop younger talent, pointing to the Warriors’ fallout with first-round draft pick Jordan Poole.

The 34-year-old notices a pattern. 

“We’ve seen this happen time and time again when it comes to him and dealing with young talent,” Cousins added. “He doesn’t handle young talent well. He doesn’t develop young talent. 

“Out of the years he’s been there, we’ve seen one guy develop under Steve Kerr, and they ran him off as well, and that was Jordan Poole, so when it comes to young talent, I just don’t think they handle it well.”

There will be no shortage of commentary on the Kuminga-Warriors saga this summer, and Cousins’ comments are the quintessential example of that. 

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Murray sure his ‘time is going to come' with Kings after shaky Year 3 originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SACRAMENTO – Keegan Murray’s NBA experience thus far has been quite the ride.

Selected by the Kings No. 4 overall in the 2022 NBA Draft, Murray entered a rookie season that set the bar high for what was to come thereafter. In Year 1, he set the NBA 3-point rookie record, was named to the 2023 NBA Jordan Rising Stars team and made the All-Rookie First Team. He also finished fifth in NBA Rookie of the Year voting.

This, on top of averaging 12.2 points on 45.3-percent shooting from the field and 41.1 percent from 3-point range, with 4.6 rebounds and 1.2 assists through 29.8 minutes in 80 games (78 starts), while helping lead Sacramento to its first playoff appearance in nearly two decades.

He averaged 15.2 points in his sophomore season and 12.4 in Year 3, respectively, but his 3-point shooting has taken a significant dip from his rookie year.

Part of that was due to him taking on a larger defensive role along his path to becoming an effective two-way player in the league. Some of the challenges during the 2024-25 season were due to the organizational inconsistencies the team faced.

The Kings parted ways with the only NBA coach Murray knew, Mike Brown, 31 games into the season. Brown was someone who pushed the young forward as if he were an NBA veteran. After Brown reached his 400th career win, Murray spoke about the impact the coach had on his young career.

“He’s always pushing me,” Murray said on Nov. 13, 2023. “Even last year, he didn’t treat me like a rookie. He treated me like a guy who’s been in the league for five, six years. That’s all I could have really asked for my rookie season.

“So he’s going to be a guy that I’m always going to remember at the start of my career and hopefully through my career as a coach that’s had a big impact on me.”

About one year later, Brown was relieved of his duties, despite signing a multiyear contract extension with the Kings just five months prior.

Two months after Brown’s firing, the Kings traded star point guard De’Aaron Fox, Murray’s best friend on the team, to the San Antonio Spurs in a franchise-altering blockbuster move. Fox took Murray under his wing since the latter entered the league in 2022, and the two formed a wholesome “big bro-little bro” relationship over the years. 

“Uncle Keegz” understood it was the business part of the NBA, but it certainly took some time to adjust to life as a King without Fox – for everyone.

Within three years, Murray went from a magical, storybook 2022-23 rookie season highlighted by a purple beam to experiencing a big wake-up call of the ups and downs in the NBA.

Despite all of that, he still took on the challenge of defending the opposing team’s best player night in and night out while also being scrutinized for not performing well enough on the other end of the floor. It’s something he reflects on with great pride, and something he won’t make excuses for as he continues to put in the work and strive toward two-way stardom.

“No, I’m not disappointed,” Murray said when asked if he was disappointed in his third season during end-of-the-season exit interviews in April. “I think, especially defensively, I took a really big leap. Being able to guard one through five effectively is really hard in this league. There’s not many people that can do it. 

“But obviously offensively, you want to be a little bit better. But there’s not really an excuse or anything. It’s just putting my head down and working harder this summer, just figure out different things.”

Sacramento’s lack of wing depth has taken a toll on Murray. In an ideal world, he said he wouldn’t want to be guarding centers every night, half joking that “it’s not the most fun thing in the world.” But Murray, at 6-foot-8 and 215 pounds, also noted that if he has to do it, he will. 

Murray, taking note of his defensive assignment workload, spent more time in the weight room in Year 3. He also took his recovery more seriously. Aside from the physical aspect of it, he also made it an emphasis to mentally lock in on each player he would be tasked to guard, labeling it as “ a learning curve.”

On the offensive side of the ball, playing without a point guard since Fox’s departure, the Kings were noticeably flawed. Murray, alongside DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine, Domantas Sabonis and Malik Monk, tried their best to figure out a productive offense, but it was a struggle to gel.

Maybe more time together would have helped, but the pieces just didn’t seem to fit together in the same puzzle.

“I think in a way it’s been difficult,” Murray said of adjusting to a new offense with new players. “Just because, especially my first years, we’re just so used to the DHO game, the split action, and just all the guys kind of moving at the same time, and you never know who’s going to get the shot. 

“So yeah, I guess a little bit has been difficult, but at the end of the day, it’s who we have on our roster, and we have to make it work if we want to have success.”

Through the first 32 games of the 2024-25 season, Murray shot just 41.3 percent from the field and 28.6 percent from long range with 11.6 points per game in 35.4 minutes. 

When the calendar year flipped, Murray’s offense became much more efficient, averaging 13 points on 46.7-percent shooting from the field and 38 percent from deep in the remaining 44 games.

“I feel like Keegan came a long way from an aggressive standpoint,” DeRozan said during his exit interview. “I think in the second half of the season, he became more aggressive. We kind of pushed him more. I don’t think he has a ceiling. I think his capability is definitely unlimited.

“I hope I get to spend a lot of time with him this summer, just to really push him to that next level I think he needs. So you can see the Keegan Murray that everybody expects of him come next year. So, I think for me, my main priority is to be able to spend a lot of time with Keegan this summer.”

An offseason with one of the game’s purest scorers certainly could help Murray’s offense. Defending the six-time NBA All-Star all summer also could strengthen him defensively.

“Obviously, since he signed later in the summer, I wasn’t really able to go down with him to LA,” Murray said of DeRozan. “But I’ve already talked to some guys, and we’re going to have a lot of guys down there, just being able to finally, as a team, get together and work out and just try and build chemistry that way. I just think the biggest thing, too, is just having those dinners or doing things outside of basketball, too, and on the court, everything just seems seamless.

“But he’s been in the league for a while, and whatever I can do to learn from him, especially offensively, will just help me with more dimensions in my game.”

Murray is marrying his fiancée, Carly, this summer. He said he’s been a part of the wedding meetings, but is mostly letting Carly take the reins.

Kings coach Doug Christie, who officially got the “interim” label removed from his title, had a perfect way of congratulating Murray on his engagement.

“When I saw the picture, I told him, ‘The fact that you got down on one knee tells me that you can get low on defense,’ so plan on that,” Christie joked with reporters back in February.

The room filled with laughter, but Christie was only half-joking. The new coach will continue to push Murray on both ends of the ball in their first full season together next year.

It will be a summer of change for the soon-to-be 25-year-old, as he embraces what’s to come in Sacramento.

“I’ve had to fill different roles within the team, now that I think about it, every year,” Murray said. “So with me, I think eventually it’ll pay off. I know that eventually good things are going to happen. So I’m not worried about anything.

“I know my time is going to come, and whether it’s next year, or a couple years after, I know eventually it’ll be my time.

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ASSOCIATED PRESS

The 2025 NBA Draft is fast approaching. Yahoo Sports NBA draft analyst Kevin O'Connor sat down with top prospects during the draft combine in Chicago last week. Watch the interviews below, and check back for more interviews in the coming days.

Kon Knueppel

Big Board ranking: No. 5

Knueppel, a projected top-10 pick, discusses his development as a shot creator at Duke, his focus on expanding his offensive arsenal, and the lessons learned from a heartbreaking loss in the Final Four of the NCAA tournament. He also talks NBA playoffs, his basketball influences, including Klay Thompson and Jimmy Butler, and the impact of family and faith on his career.

Check out the full interview on YouTube.

Cedric Coward

Big Board ranking: No. 11

Coward, who has risen from D-III basketball player to projected first-round pick, details his versatile skill set, draft combine performance, and the work ethic that led to his improved shooting and playmaking. He also shares lessons learned from his Olympic gold-medalist grandfather, his NBA player comps (including Kawhi Leonard) and what drives his obsession with basketball.

Check out the full interview on YouTube.

Tune into "The Kevin O'Connor Show" on Apple, Spotify or YouTube.