Keegan Murray
The sharpshooting forward exploded onto the NBA scene by breaking the rookie record for three-pointers, instantly redefining the Kings' future.
Born 2000 (age 26)·American basketball player·Birthday: August 19·Generation Z
Biography
Keegan Murray arrived in the NBA not with a whisper, but with the crisp sound of a swishing three-pointer. The Iowa product, selected fourth overall by the Sacramento Kings in 2022, was the perfect plug-and-play piece for a franchise desperate to end a historic playoff drought. Murray possessed a preternatural calm for a rookie, paired with a textbook shooting stroke and a keen sense of off-ball movement. He didn't need to dominate possessions; he simply capitalized on them with ruthless efficiency. In his first year, he shattered the NBA's rookie record for three-pointers made, a feat that announced him as a new breed of stretch forward. His immediate contribution was a cornerstone of the Kings' stunning turnaround, helping to fuel 'Beam Team' mania in Sacramento and leading the team to its first postseason appearance in 16 years. Murray represents the modern NBA ideal: a versatile, high-IQ player who spaces the floor, defends multiple positions, and plays winning basketball without ever needing to be the loudest voice in the room.
Generation Z
1997–2012
Born into smartphones, social media, and school shootings. The most diverse generation in history. Pragmatic about money, fluid about identity, anxious about the climate. They do not remember a world before the internet.
Keegan was born in 2000, placing them squarely in the Generation Z. The events that shaped this generation — social media, climate anxiety, and a pandemic — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Keegan Was Born
The biggest hits of 2000
#1 Movie
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Best Picture
Gladiator
#1 TV Show
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
Keegan's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
2000Born
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2005Started school
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2013Became a teenager
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2016Could drive
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2018Could vote
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2021Turned 21
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 26 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Set the NBA rookie record for three-pointers made in a season with 206 in the 2022-23 campaign.
- Named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 2023 after averaging 12.2 points and 4.6 rebounds.
- Was a pivotal starter in the Sacramento Kings' 2022-23 season that ended a 16-year playoff drought, the longest in NBA history at the time.
- Earned consensus First-Team All-American honors in his final college season at Iowa after leading the team in scoring and rebounding.
Did You Know?
He is a twin; his brother, Kris Murray, was also a star at Iowa and was drafted in the first round of the 2023 NBA Draft.
He grew several inches late in high school, transforming from a guard into a forward.
In his record-breaking rookie season, he was one of only two qualified players to shoot over 40% from three and 75% from the free-throw line.
He played a post-graduate year at DME Academy in Florida to improve his recruitment profile before going to Iowa.
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