Ontario Player of the Week Feb. 12 – Feb. 18

This week’s Ontario Player of the Week has been awarded to Orangeville Prep alumni guard from the Denver Nuggets, Jamal Murray.

Murray played two regular-season games prior to the All-Star break, averaging 21.5 points per game, and also took part in both the Mountain Dew Kickstart Rising Stars Game scoring 21 points in 24 minutes and the Taco Bell Skills Challenge at NBA All-Star weekend in Los Angeles.

Murray attended Grand River High School in his hometown of Kitchener, Ontario, before transferring to Orangeville Prep to hone his talents in preparation for Division 1 basketball in the NCAA. He participated in the inaugural BioSteel All-Canadian Game and was named the game’s Most Valuable Player. Murray received offers from many high-profile schools including Florida State, Indiana and Michigan State before accepting an offer to play at the University of Kentucky under coach John Calipari.

Prior to his commitment to the University of Kentucky, Murray was an integral member of Team Canada at the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto, helping the team win a silver medal.

Murray played only one season at the University of Kentucky, finishing as a third-team All-American, first-team All-SEC and on the SEC All-Freshman team. He started in all 36 games in the 2015-16 season, averaging 20 points and 5 rebounds per game while shooting 40% from three-point range. He helped Kentucky into a birth in the NCAA Tournament, losing to Indiana in the second round. Murray entered the 2016 NBA Draft after just one season in college.

Murray was selected 7th overall in the 2016 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets, the highest drafted Canadian since Andrew Wiggins was drafted 1st overall in 2014. He played in all 82 games, starting in 10 of them in his rookie season, averaging just under 10 points per game in 21 minutes. Murray was selected to play in the 2017 Rising Stars Game at NBA All-Star weekend in New Orleans, scoring 36 points en route to being awarded the game’s Most Valuable Player. He was also named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team at the end of his rookie year as well.

Murray has started in 56 of 57 games this season for the Nuggets, averaging 16.5 points in 30 minutes a game while shooting 38% from three-point range. He participated in his 2nd consecutive Rising Stars Game at the 2018 NBA All-Star weekend in Los Angeles, scoring 21 points in the game helping his World team overwhelm Team USA 155-124. Murray also took part in the Taco Bell Skills Challenge on All-Star Saturday night, losing in the semi-finals to the eventual winner Spencer Dinwiddie.

Don’t forget to check back in next week for another edition of the Ontario Player of the Week!