Denver Nuggets president, Josh Kroenke, has addressed Jamal Murray’s poor Olympic Games, after the Canadian struggled to make an impact in Paris this summer.
Jamal Murray’s Difficult Olympics
It was no secret that Jamal Murray struggled in the Olympics, with the usually prolific Nuggets guard averaging just six points per game in Paris, on 29% shooting from the field.
Last season Murray averaged 20.6 points per game in the NBA off 40.2% shooting from the field, so the significant drop in performance was certainly noted this summer.
Canada were eliminated at the quarter final stage by France, with Victor Wembanyama’s home nation easing past Murray and co in a disappointing tournament all round.
Speaking this week, Nuggets owner Josh Kroenke excused Murray’s poor Olympics, suggesting that the Canada guard is still suffering with an injury that plagued him last season.
“When you’re going against the best in the world, whether it’s in the NBA playoffs or in the Olympics, you’re gonna get (opponents’) best shot. And if you’re not 100 percent and you know you want to be out there still, you’re gonna try to fight through it like Jamal is.
“But I know he wasn’t 100 percent. I know getting him back there is a big step toward seeing the Jamal who was throwing up triple-doubles in the NBA Finals.”
Canada star Jamal Murray had a dreadful 2024 Olympics 😬
6 points per game
3 rebounds per game
3.8 assists per game
2.3 turnovers per game
20.5 minutes per game9-of-31 FG (29%)
2-of-14 3PT (14.3%) pic.twitter.com/JTDeb2u5U0— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) August 6, 2024
Murray was struggling with a calf injury at the beginning of 2024 and the Denver star was forced to miss out on numerous games with the knock, which Kroenke believes he is still recovering from.
Kroenke continued: “For me in particular, as much as I would love to focus in on the end of the season or the playoffs or the Olympics, I usually think even kind of one step higher.
“The amount of games that he’s played — the amount of games that all of our guys have played — and the wear and tear on their bodies. So I think that showed up toward the end of the regular season. It definitely trickled into the playoffs. And Jamal was also pretty banged up.”
Murray now has over two months to recover from last season’s extended campaign and the time off should be enough for the Nuggets star to get back to full fitness.
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