Portland Selects Kris Murray in NBA Draft

Blazers Pick Iowa Forward in 1st Round Thursday Night

Iowa's Kris Murray waits to be introduced before a game against Michigan State on Feb. 25, 2023 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa. (Rob Howe/HawkeyeNation.com)

Watch: Murray Presser

IOWA CITY, Iowa - For the second year in a row, a University of Iowa Basketball player was selected in the first round of the NBA Draft. The Portland Trailblazers chose Kris Murray with the 23rd pick in the first round Thursday night. 

His twin brother, Keegan Murray, heard his name called as the fourth overall selection last year. He went to the Sacramento Kings. Their father, Kenyon Murray, also played for the Hawkeyes. 

It represented the first time since 1970 (John Johnson) and '71 (Fred Brown) that Iowa saw its players selected in the first round in back-to-back years. And that was the only other time it occurred for the program. 

Kris Murray became the 11th first-rounder from Iowa. He was the fifth in the last 30 years.  

Kris earned consensus third team All-America honors this past season when leading the Hawkeyes in scoring (20.2 PPG), rebounding (7.9 RPG) and blocked shots (1.2 BPG). He was named a semifinalist for the Wooden and Naismith Awards, and to the Big Ten's first-team by conference coaches and media. 

The Murray twins graduated from Cedar Rapids Prairie. With only scholarship offers from Western Illinois coming out of high school, they spent a season at DME Sports Academy in Florida. 

Despite physical and basketball growth while in the Sunshine State, opportunities remained limited. Iowa coach Fran McCaffery offered them scholarships later in the process. They rewarded his faith in them.