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Final 2022 NBA mock draft projections for Iowa Hawkeyes’ Keegan Murray

The 2022 NBA draft is finally here, and it looks to be a great one for Iowa fans. After a historic sophomore season, forward Keegan Murray could potentially be the highest-ever drafted Hawkeye in the NBA, pushing for the top five.

Teams have been impressed with his scoring ability and gritty style of play. He might not be the most athletic prospect in the draft, and his defense might still need a bit of work, but he can have a day-one impact. In this list, we take a look at the final 2022 NBA mock draft projections and where they see Murray winding up.

USA TODAY Sports: No. 5 overall to the Detroit Pistons

Reese Strickland-USA TODAY Sports

Get ready to see this selection a lot. Four of the six entries here all have Murray heading to the Motor City. USA TODAY Sports’ Jeff Zillgitt saw Murray’s age and immediate impact as a perfect fit for a Detroit squad in need of an injection of talent.

Murray was just the eighth player in the Big Ten’s 126-year history to finish with an 800-point season. He led the Power 5 conferences with 23.6 points a game. Murray, who improved significant from his freshman to sophomore seasons, also contributed 8.7 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game while shooting 55% from the field and 39.8% from the 3-point line. Murray, 21, is one of the oldest projected lottery picks and could have an immediate impact on the Pistons’ rebuild. – Zillgitt, USA TODAY Sports.

The Rookie Wire: No. 5 overall to the Detroit Pistons

Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

The Rookie Wire’s Cody Taylor had pretty similar reasons for the Pistons taking Murray. Murray’s well-rounded game would make him a very good replacement for the now traded Jerami Grant.

The Pistons are reportedly among the teams that would like to move up to take Ivey, but they should be happy if they end up with Murray. He is viewed as perhaps the most complete player near the top of the draft and projects to have a smooth transition to the next level. Murray filled the stat sheet on a nightly basis and was the only player last season to record at least 800 points, 300 rebounds, 60 blocked shots and 50 assists. For a team looking to add more pieces to its core, Murray will be a good choice to move its rebuild forward. – The Rookie Wire, Cody Taylor.

For The Win: No. 4 overall to the Sacramento Kings

Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Finally, a non-Detroit pick! While For The Win’s Bryan Kalbrosky sees this as a potential trade spot. If Sacramento stays at the slot, Murray should be the pick. With De’Aaron Fox and Davion Mitchell leading the backcourt, Ivey doesn’t really fit in the Kings’ current situation. Murray provides shooting and defense to a Sacramento team trying to turn things around.

This is the highest pick that could be traded on draft night, per HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto. If that happens, I’d expect Purdue’s Jaden Ivey as the inevitable target. But if the pick isn’t traded, I don’t think Ivey (who reportedly hasn’t even worked out for the organization) fits in the backcourt alongside De’Aaron Fox and Davion Mitchell.

Instead, according to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony, Iowa’s Keegan Murray is reportedly “gaining steam” with new Sacramento coach Mike Brown and Kings owner Vivek Ranadive. Plus, according to Yahoo’s Chris Haynes, the team organized for him to have dinner with Fox and Domantas Sabonis.

I’d love to see Murray play alongside the speedy Fox in transition. – Kalbrosky, For The Win.

Hoops Hype: No. 5 overall to the Detroit Pistons

Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Back to the Detroit train we go for Hoops Hype’s Michael Scotto. His reasoning is pretty much the same as the others. While he did predict a Grant to Portland trade, the compensation wasn’t quite the seventh overall pick.

Murray told reporters he met with the Thunder, Kings, Pistons, and Pacers in a Zoom media availability call.

In this scenario, Murray would bring added shooting to a Pistons team that shot 32.6 percent from three-point range last season, which ranked second to last in the NBA overall.

Detroit has also worked out several projected lottery picks, including Murray, Shaedon Sharpe, Dyson Daniels, Bennedict Mathurin, and Johnny Davis.

Rival NBA executives are keeping an eye on whether the Pistons will send Jerami Grant to the Blazers on draft night for Portland’s seventh overall pick, which has been dangled for immediate help, as reported in last week’s HoopsHype mock draft update. – Scotto, Hoops Hype.

ESPN: No. 5 overall to the Detroit Pistons

Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK

What a surprise, Murray to the Pistons… again. ESPN’s Jonathan Givony points out Murray’s fit on the wing next to budding star guard Cade Cunningham. Murray could provide spacing and defense should the Pistons bring in free-agent center Deandre Ayton.

While the Pistons will likely be disappointed to see Ivey off the board in this scenario, Murray’s fit here looks strong, especially after Detroit traded power forward Jerami Grant to Portland Wednesday. The move opened up $43 million in cap space this summer, netted Milwaukee’s 2025 first round pick, and moved Detroit up 10 spots in the second round after flipping the 46th pick for No. 36. Most NBA teams expect Detroit to offer restricted free agent Deandre Ayton a max offer sheet to attempt to pry him away from Phoenix, which would provide a significant boost for the Pistons roster if successful.

Murray’s cerebral approach and steady demeanor should fit in well with franchise building block Cade Cunningham, with Murray’s dynamic shooting ability, how he ignites the break off the defensive glass and the versatility he brings defensively. Bennedict Mathurin is the other big target on Detroit’s board, sources say, if Ivey is gone as expected, but Murray looks to be the favorite at the moment. – Givony, ESPN.

CBS Sports: No. 9 overall to the San Antonio Spurs

Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK

CBS Sports’ Colin Ward-Henninger sees Murray falling a bit further than the rest of the pack. Murray falls here due to questions about his athleticism and defense. The Spurs have been linked with a trade up ahead of the draft, but here they get their target at nine. Murray will add shooting on the wing to complement star guard Dejounte Murray.

This might be a bit far for Murray to fall, but the concerns about his athleticism and defense are legitimate. San Antonio will gladly take him, as his 3-point shooting and overall skill set should fit a void on a team with a lot of young guard talent. With San Antonio’s development staff, Murray could become an All-Star level player in a few years. Ward-Henninger, CBS Sports.

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Story originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire