Mentors matter in the NBA. Teams in the middle of youth movements spend on veterans so that their future cornerstones can learn the right habits from them. When a star takes a youngster under his wing, it’s supposed to mean something. The league believes there’s value in having good role models.
Few players have had as many excellent teachers as Dejounte Murray. All throughout his career he has been surrounded by some of the best mentors any player could have asked for, which clearly helped him make the transition from raw prospect to pro. The right people have metaphorically held his hand up to this point.