Jamal Murray Bio: Basketball Career, Parents, Stats & Contract

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Jamal Murray is not a new name to many. He has been in the spotlight for his fresh skills in basketball.

He is one of the ever-growing Canadian professional basketball players in the National Basketball Association world (NBA).

At present, he plays the position of point guard and shooting guard for the Denver Nuggets.

Since childhood, Jamal has been an enthusiast of basketball, and now as a youth, his point guards have thrown the NBA world by storm. 

Jamal Murray in his element; basketball
Jamal Murray in his element; basketball.

Jamal stepped into the basketball industry in 2016, but he began his basketball journey when he was a child and continued college.

Before exploring Jamal Murray’s journey, here are some quick facts.

Quick Facts 

Full name Jamal Murray 
Nickname None 
Birthdate February 23, 1997 
Birthplace Kitchener, Ontario, Canada 
Nationality Canadian 
Ethnicity Mixed
Religion Christianity
Horoscope Pisces
Age 27 Years Old
Father’s name Roger Murray 
Mother’s name Sylvia Murray 
Sibling Lamar Murray
Residence Canada
High School  Grand River 
Orangeville Prep
College Kentucky 
Marital status Unmarried
Relationship status  In Relationship
Girlfriend’s Name  Harper Hempel
Ex-Girlfriends Unknown 
Height 1.91 m (6 feet 3 inches)
Weight 98 kgs (215 lbs) 
Body type Athletic
Eye Color Brown
Hair Color Black
Profession Basketball player
Position Point Guard or Shooting Guard
Plays for Denver Nuggets
Jersey Number #27
Current Affiliations NBA
Salary $3.211 million
Net worth $4 million
Food Habits  Non-vegan
Tattoo  Unknown 
Hobbies  Unknown 
Social Media Twitter, Instagram 
Last Update March, 2024

Jamal Murray | Early Life and Family Background

Jamal Murray was born on 23rd February and raised in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. He is the son of Roger and Sylvia Murray. Similarly, his mother was from Syria, and his father was born in Jamaica.

However, at the age of 9, he moved to Canada with his parents. Jamal also has a younger brother named Lamar Murray.

Jamal Muray with his whole family
Jamal Muray with his whole family

Roger Murray himself had an athletic background. He grew up running tracks and fields along with playing basketball. When Roger was young, he played against Lennox Lewis.

Early Career and Education

Since Jamal was a three-year-old kid, he could play basketball for hours and hours.  When he reached the age of 6, he played in the league of 10 years old.

With his father’s help and guidance, he made 30 baskets in a row at seven. His father also initiated him into various growth activities such as kung fu exercises and meditation.

Finally, at 12-13, Murray played pick-up games against the top high school and college players. 

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Jamal Murray | Body Measurement

Along with being a professional basketball player, the super-talented Murray is also a fitness enthusiast.

He is mindful of his health and takes excellent care of his body. In a day, he practices for more than 5 hours. 

Jamal Murray
Jamal Murray with his one-leg sleeve hooper.

Also, Jamal is 6 feet and 4 inches tall and weighs 98 kgs. He follows a well-planned diet to keep his body fit and active.

His chest’s body measurement is 40 inches, for biceps 17 inches, and 34 inches for his waist. 

Jamal Murray | Basketball Career 

Jamal merits much of his success to his father, Roger Murray, who helped and guided him toward his dream. Below mentioned is the breakdown of his journey in basketball:

High-School career

For his high school, Murray had firstly joined Grand River Collegiate Institute in his hometown, Kitchener. Later, he transferred to Orangeville Prep School in Orangeville, Ontario.

There, his father served as the assistant coach, and he became a member of the school’s team. He joined hands with Thon Marker to form a duo and defeat many American schools and bring them victory.

In 2013, during his game in the Jordan Brand Classic International Game, he was named MVP, leading him to become the second Canadian to win after Duane Notice. 

Similarly, during the 2015 Nike Hoop Summit, he scored a game-high 30 points and was again named MVP for the second time.

In 2015, he played with top high school players in BioSteel All Canadians Basketball Game and was named MVP.

Later, he played the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) basketball.

College Career

Jamal’s college life began on 24th June 2015. he committed to Kentucky to play under the leadership of Coach John Calipari.

Despite being a freshman, he was featured on the Midseason Top 25 list for the John R Wooden Award. For the Naismith Trophy, he was also named to the 35-man midseason watchlist.

He appeared in 36 games during his first year and averaged 20.0 points, with 5.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists while shooting 40.8% from the three-point range.

Later, after his freshman season, he was named a third-team All-American by the Associated Press.

Jamal Murray in Kentucky
Jamal Murray in Kentucky

Similarly, his effort and hard work led him to be a member of the All-SEC first team and the SEC All-Freshman Team.

One of Murray’s most historical moments is his 20.0 points per game by any freshman in Kentucky’s program history.

Finally, in April 2016, he was declared for the NBA draft, which led him to leave his final three years of college eligibility.

Professional Career

After the Denver Nuggets picked him as the seventh overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft, Jamal officially began his professional career in June 2016.

On 9th August 2016, he signed a contract as a rookie with the Nuggets.

In November 2016, he scored a career-high 19 points in a game 112-105 with Portland Trail Blazers, which led to their loss.

Similarly, in a game with Chicago Bulls, he topped that mark by scoring 24 points in 110-107 points, winning over them. 

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During the games of November and December, his performance led him to be named Western Conference Rookie of the Month.

On 7th April 2017, he won over New Orleans Pelicans, with a career-high 30 points in 122-106 points.

Due to his achievements, he was named NBA All-Rookie Second Team at the end of the season.

During his different games, Murray earned many points contributing to his team’s victory. Throughout his career, Murray hasn’t been a victim of injuries other than sprained ankle on two different occasions.

Due to s sprained left ankle, he missed about six games from 17th January till 6th February 2018.

Nevertheless, after coming back into the game, he scored 19 points and 11 assists in a 135-130 point bringing victory over Brooklyn Nets.

With the match of the Nugget’s second-round off series against Trail Blazers, in Game 3, Jamal had a playoff career-high of 34 points in a 140-137 quadruple-overtime loss.

On the first day, Murray signed a 5-year contract extension of a $170 million maximum deal with the Denver Nuggets during the free agency period.

For the second time, Murray sprained his ankle, which caused him to miss ten games. After returning, he had one of his career’s best stretches, averaging 31.3 points per game over a four-game stretch.

Current Playing and Career Stats

During the Nuggets’ first round-up matchup with the Utah Jazz on August 17 in the 2020 NBA playoffs, he recorded 36 points and six assists,  scoring 20 points with an overall victory in Game 1.

Following over to Game 6, Murray had become emotional in a postgame interview with TNT. In that interview, Murray addressed the ongoing racial injustice issues.

He also honored the deaths of Geroge Floyd and Breonna Taylor by keeping their pictures in his shoes. The shoes work as a symbol to remind him to keep fighting for equality around the world.

Murray honoring the death of George Floyd
Murray honoring the death of George Floyd

In-game 7, which took place on the 15th of September, Murray scored 40 points while hitting six three-pointers, which led to winning the series. 

The win led Nuggets to advance to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2009. Moreover, they became the first team in NBA history to come back from multiple 3-1 deficits in a single postseason.

Notwithstanding the NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers, the Nuggets lost in the Western Conference Finals in five games.

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National Team Career

Murray represented Canada at the 2013 FIBA America’s Under-16 Championships in Uraguay, leading the team to win a bronze medal.

Likewise, he also played at the 2015 Pan America Game for the Canadian national team. With the help of Murray, the team was able to go home with a silver medal.

Major Achievements and Awards of Jamal Murray 

Although a young star, Murray has been able to accomplish many titles through his hard work and labor. Some of them are:

  • Jordan Brand Classic International MVP in 2013
  • 2015 Nike Hoop Summit MVP 
  • 2015 BioSteel All-Canadian MVP 
  • Named to the Third-team All American – AP in 2016
  • Named to the SEC All-Freshman Team in 2016
  • 2016 First-team All-SEC 
  • 2017 NBA All-Rookie Second Team 

Jamal Murray | Charity Works

Despite coming into the spotlight at a young age, Murray has always been humble about his roots. After being a member of the NBA, Murray has launched two charitable initiatives.

His first initiative was to provide children in the Kitchener-Waterloo region with essentials such as backpacks and supplies.

Secondly, he also helped Region Waterloo open a basketball court at the Amos Avenue housing complex in partnership with a housing complex.

The court’s inspiration was the death of a toddler outside the complex that the car hit and killed. 

Likewise, along with his father and Rondae Hollis-Johnson of the Toronto Raptors, he conducted a two-day basketball clinic in Jamaica for about 800 children at Montego Bay Community.

For the children, they also provided400 backpacks along with school supplies.

Murray also showed his appreciation and gratitude to the healthcare workers who were risking their lives for a better world at UCHealth by donating 200 meals from the renowned Denver Middle Eastern restaurant.

Jamal Murray | Personal Life and Girlfriend

The basketball player is in a relationship with a former Kentucky volleyball player, Harper Hempel.

Jamal and his girlfriend have been dating since Harper was a sophomore at the University of Kentucky. 

Harper Hempel was born on 30th August 1997 in Kentucky, USA. She was a part of the Kentucky Women’s team, and she played for around three years till she graduated from senior year. 

Our view is that Haper’s father named, Rich Hempel, is also a part of the basketball world.

Her father co-founded a company called eCoach, a company designed to offer high-level sports instructions to NBA coaches virtually, which helps lower training costs in the basketball industry.

Jamal Murray with his girlfriend, Harper Hemel.
Jamal Murray with his girlfriend, Harper Hemel.

After being drafted into the NBA, Denver had to move away to stay in Denver, but Harper had to stay back to complete her college, and she continued her volleyball journey.

Despite the circumstances and the distance, the couple was able to stay together. 

Harper Hempel is a photographer who also owns a company in Kentucky. Along with this, she also works as a social media consultant.

Jamal has various sources of income, and her net worth stands at $100 thousand. 

NBA Star Jamal Murray’s Explicit Tape with his Girlfriend Leaked

On 22nd March 2020, Jamal and his girlfriend posted an NSFW video on his Instagram story and four random pictures on his profile.

The video, along with the picture, was deleted right away. However, it was already visible to thousands of people. 

Later on, Murray kept an apology on his Twitter account, claiming that he was hacked. 

Jamal Murray | Net Worth and Salary

The former basketball player signed a contract with the Denver Nuggets that nets him a huge salary of 5 Million Dollars (approx. 4.5 Million euros) per year.

When it comes to his net worth, it clocks at nearly $4 million. However,  there is no concrete amount about his net worth. 

His salary during the season 2019-2020 was $4,444,746, with his average salary amounting to $3,627677.

Murray’s career earnings altogether will be $41,517,909 by the end of the 2021 season. 

At the moment, Murray has also signed endorsement deals with sports brands Adidas and other brands such as Western Union, Express, and Lyft.

Murray’s Sneaker Contract

Murray’s contract with Adidas has led him into the sports brands family. Despite it, he is yet to receive a signature sneaker.

Murray, as a part of the Adidas family.
Murray, as a part of the Adidas family.

Recently, he displayed the ‘Adidas Pro Model 2G’ and likewise has received several player editions.

Jamal Murray | Social Media Presence

Jamal is quite active on his social media. One can contact him or follow his life events below:

Instagram 948K Followers

Twitter196.1K Followers 

Jamal Murray | Frequent Asked Questions (FAQs)

Did Jamal Murray undergo ACL surgery?

Yes, the basketballer underwent successful ACL surgery in April of 2021. He sustained a knee injury in his left leg during a game against the Golden State Warriors. 

What was Jamal Murray’s bubble stats?

The athlete averaged 24.4 points, 6.3 assists, and 4.8 rebounds during the 2020 NBA Bubble.

Is Jamal Murray close with the Jokic brothers?

Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic are close friends and teammates, so that Murray might be close with the Jokic brothers.

What shoes does Jamal Murray wear?

For the 2020-21 season, he’s wearing New Balance’s Two Wxy; however, he wore Adidas Pro models with George Floyd and Breonna Taylor’s graphics during the Orlando Bubble game to honor their deaths. 

Sanjib Sah
Sanjib Sah
Sanjib Sah is an engineer and content writer passionate about sports and athletics. With a background in engineering and a love for all things active, Sanjib brings a unique perspective to the world of sports writing. Whether he is covering the latest trends in sports technology or sharing tips on improving your game, Sanjib's words are always rooted in a deep appreciation for players' hard work and dedication everywhere. In his free time, you can find him hitting the courts or hitting the trails, always looking for new ways to challenge himself and improve his skills.

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