We all know those stories that happen again and again...

The story of the "late bloomer" who becomes a star player in college and the NBA.

There's Steph Curry...passed over by all of the Power 5 conference colleges- but now a basketball warrior for the Warriors.

Or Damian Lillard...a 2-star prospect that went to mid-major Weber State... but now a 6-time NBA All Star and was listed as one of the 75 greatest players for the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team...

And now we can add "underdog" Keegan Murray, Iowa Hawkeyes versatile standout.

This story also hits a little closer to home as my brother Jeff went to high school with his mother Michelle and I played basketball at the local courts with Keegan's uncle Mitch.

Back to Keegan's remarkable story...

He just had an explosive sophomore season and earned AP 1st All-American honors. He's 4th in the nation in scoring and led all power 5 conferences in scoring. He got a lot of National Player of the Year recognition, so now...

Keegan announced after this season that he was going pro - so it also looks like he's on his way to being the first Hawkeyes' top-five pick in the NBA Draft!

CBS Sports says, "Murray is a switchable big who can guard in space and consistently make shots from the perimeter."

But here's the twist: Keegan hasn't always had this success...nor been the size he is now...nor received the recognition. You can say he was a "late bloomer."

After his senior year of high school, he only had one scholarship offer to Western Illinois. But he and his twin brother, Kris, decided to play at the DME Sports Academy in Florida to polish their skills.

In an interview, Keegan believes "that year was probably the best thing I could've done. I was playing against college guys. I was playing against other post-grad teams that are really good. I just think that year kind of matured me for college."

Well, I guess it worked for the Murray brothers because they were both then recruited by the Iowa Hawkeyes.

In 20-21 as a second-year freshman, Keegan played a reserve role for Iowa, being overshadowed by college superstar Luka Garza, current NBA player Joe Wieskamp, and other outstanding guards. Keegan averaged 7 points per season that year but showed promise as both a defensive and offensive player.

So Keegan was still kind of the underrated player who was just starting to get noticed.

But then this last year (his sophomore season) came and Keegan erupted...

He jumped up to 23.6 points per game and currently ranked #1 in the country for offensive efficiency ratings. And if you ask opposing coaches and players, they'll tell you he's a versatile player who can shoot anywhere - inside, outside - all with a high percentage. It's impossible to stop him.

According to CBS Sports, Murray totaled 822 points, 303 rebounds, 68 blocks, 66 3-point field goals, 52 assists, and 45 steals in his historic sophomore campaign. He is only the second player in Division I history to amass more than 800 points, 60 blocks, and 60 3-pointers in a single season (Texas' Kevin Durant in 2007).

Keegan Murray is just really, really good.

Like I said, it hasn't always been this way for Keegan. He even said in a USA Today interview that he's always been an underdog...

"I'm trying to get better as a person and a player. I've been putting a lot of hard work in. I've been an underdog my whole life. That's just my mentality going into this year. Having a target on my back is something that doesn't bother me."

These underdogs teach us a poignant lesson about developing basketball players...

Take the slow-cook crock pot approach. Don't push too hard, too fast.

As Daniel Coyle brilliantly pointed out in the Talent Code, many professional athletes had youth coaches that develop a passion in youth athletes by making the sport fun. These weren't necessarily the best or most knowledgeable when it came to the technical aspects of the sport. But they developed that love for the sport that made these athletes want to practice relentlessly as they reached high school and college.

Don't worry about third to seventh grade - just make sure they're having fun while developing into a good athlete by playing multiple sports seasonally. Yes, work on ball handling and their other skills, but don't burn them out.

Be patient and work on things slowly. Don't try to master everything at once because so many things change - even after high school, as you can see with Keegan Murray.

Wait until they're older to really specialize in the sport. If the situation allows, they should try to play multiple sports through high school. (I understand that specialization might make sense at some big schools, but play multiple sports as long as you can.)

Another lesson is this: You never know when an athlete will peak, and in many sports, post-puberty is when the skill development really starts to occur. I have countless examples of players who started to shine even into their 20s.

So don't dismiss the smaller, less vocal, less skilled underdogs...they can grow into the late-blooming stars! And in special situations, even ones we watch on tv today.

What do you think? Let us know by leaving your comments, suggestions, and questions...

Comments Most Likes First   Oldest First   Newest First

Leave a Comment Name : Email (not published) : Twelve minus five is equal to?  (Prevents Spam) Answer :  Load New Question Comments : Leave this Blank :