Senior guard Jaylen “Juju” Murray has returned to the Rebels for his final season of basketball. Named MClub Student Athlete of the Month for the month of October, Murray has proven himself to be a standout player this season.
Murray, a Bronx, New York, native, garnered vast praise coming out of high school as a three-star prospect, with SLAM Magazine claiming that he “runs New York.”
“It’s crystal clear that he’s the definition of a hooper,” SLAM Magazine said. “And if you get the chance to see him play outdoors in New York City, it’s even more clear that no per-game averages can quantify his impact on the community.”
Murray started his collegiate basketball career with Saint Peter’s, the Cinderella team of the 2022 NCAA Tournament. In his two years with the Peacocks, he averaged 5.8 and 12.5 points per game, respectively. Murray was more of a pure scorer — something that has changed since he transferred to Ole Miss in May 2023.
Since his arrival in Oxford, Murray has gradually improved to become a more true point guard. There was a significant jump in his assists per game, going from 2.3 assists per game his last season at Saint Peter’s to four assists in his first season with Ole Miss. He also improved in scoring, going from 12.5 points per game to 13.8 points per game.
After a solid first season with the Rebels, Murray had some draft hype but not enough to push the needle. He more than likely would have gone undrafted as the guard class was very good. Murray ultimately decided to return to Ole Miss for his final year of eligibility.
This season started with a bang for Murray, as he surpassed the 1,000 point career mark in the Rebels’ first game against Long Island University.
“It’s a blessing. I’m glad I got my 1,000 points with Coach Beard,” Murray said in a post-game press conference. “He believed in me since the first time I spoke with him.”
His best game so far this season was against the then-undefeated BYU Cougars. Murray scored 28 points, leading the Rebels to victory. He was dominant in this game, recording five rebounds, five assists and a steal.
Murray is excellent at both drawing fouls and not getting fouls called on him this season. He has only eight fouls on the year, with three of them coming against Oral Roberts. He plays clean basketball, playing aggressive but safe at the same time.
Offensively, Murray is shooting 96% from the free throw line, missing only one this season coming against Purdue. Against a solid Louisville team in the ACC-SEC Challenge, Murray notched 10 points and a pair of rebounds.
By far the most impressive growth in Murray’s game is in his rebounding. As a 5-foot-11 guard, he averages 4.9 rebounds per game this season alone — something that has significantly improved from his time at Saint Peter’s.
Murray’s passion for the game also contributes to his star quality, as he embodies New York basketball in his play. He is the heart and soul of the Rebel squad, and all of his teammates look to him in clutch moments. This was especially apparent from last year’s match against Texas A&M — a game in which he hit the final shot to secure a win for the Rebels.
