College basketball freshmen who are making a case to be lottery picks
Here are 3 freshmen who are playing their way into becoming lottery picks for the 2025 NBA Draft.
New Orleans Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray tore his Achilles tendon during Friday night’s game against the Boston Celtics, according to multiple reports. The one-time All-Star’s first season with New Orleans is over.
The injury occurred during the first quarter of what was an eventual 118-116 win by the Celtics. Murray went down after pulling in a rebound after his own miss. He could barely get off the court under his own power and required assistance to get to the locker room.
Murray had four points and five rebounds in eight minutes before exiting with the injury.
Murray, an All-Star in 2022, joined the Pelicans via trade last July for a high price: four players, including promising third-year man Dyson Daniels and dependable veteran Larry Nance Jr., and two first-round draft picks.
Murray’s season got off to an inauspicious start — he broke his hand in the season opener on Oct. 23 and didn’t play again until Nov. 27. Now his campaign is over.
Entering Friday, Murray was averaging 17.9 points, 7.6 assists and 6.5 rebounds over 30 games.
The Pelicans have been ravaged by injuries this season. Zion Williamson has played just 13 games. Brandon Ingram has played in just 18 contests. And now Murray, their big offseason acquisition, will end the year having played 31 games.
That’s helped explain the Pelicans plummeting down the standings. A 49-33 playoff team last season, New Orleans is an abysmal 12-37 this year after Friday’s loss.
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