Jamal Murray had quite the hot hand during his time as a Wildcat, and now he’s emerging as one of the NBA’s young stars. The 21-year-old point guard for the Denver Nuggets is averaging 18.8 points and 4.9 assists per game, but it’s his constant dedication to perfecting his shot that makes him stand out among dozens of talented players.
In a profile by ESPN’s Jackie MacMullan, Murray’s intense diligence and consistently-competitive nature are on full display. While his appearances (sometimes up to three in one day) inside Denver’s practice facility are impressive, it’s nothing compared to how he grew up playing the game in Canada:
“Try shooting 3-pointers outside, in the snow, with a bitter Ontario wind ripping through you, after you’ve just held a deep-knee squat for 12 minutes, a cup of piping hot tea carefully balanced on your thigh to make sure you do not waver — all this executed under the watchful eye of your father, a martial arts enthusiast and basketball junkie who has been honing your skills since you were an infant.