ESPN lead Big XII basketball analyst Fran Fraschilla compared Arizona freshman guard Brayden Burries to Denver Nuggets point guard Jamal Murray. Fraschilla noted the "heater" in his words that Burries has been on over the past 24 games after a slow start to the season.
Burries is averaging 17.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.5 steals, while shooting 52.0 percent from the field, 38.9 percent on three-point attempts and making 78.2 percent of his free throw attempts with a 59.6 eFG percentage over the past 24 games.
During the first five games of the 2025-26 season, Burries averaged 7.8 PPG, 1.8 RPG, 2.0 APG and 1.6 SPG, while shooting 33.3 percent from the field, 29.4 percent on three-point attempts and 66.7 percent from the free throw line with a 39.3 eFG percentage.
Murray averaged 20.0 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 2.2 APG and 1.0 SPG, while shooting 45.4 percent from the field, 40.8 percent on three-point attempts and 78.3 percent from the free throw line with a 55.6 eFG percentage in 2015-16 during his only collegiate season playing for Kentucky.
On an unselfish @ArizonaMBB team with nearly seven double figure scorers, @BraydenBurries is on a “heater.” 20+ in 10 of last 24. He has an “NBA game” & scores like Jamal Murray did at @KentuckyMBB. He selected after Chris Dunn and Buddy Hield. Scary how talented he is.
— Fran Fraschilla (@franfraschilla) March 1, 2026
Brayden Burries and Jamal Murray comparisons
Burries is listed at 6'4 and 205 pounds. Murray is 6'5 and 207 pounds. Burries was the 10th prospect and second combo guard in the 2025 class. Murray was the 11th prospect and top shooting guard in the 2015 class. After one season at Kentucky, Murray was the seventh pick in the 2015 NBA Draft by Denver.
Murray has spent his entire career with Denver. In nine NBA seasons (missed the 2021-22 season with a torn ACL), Murray has averaged 18.6 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 7.3 APG and 1.0 SPG, while shooting 45.8 percent from the field, 38.7 percent on three-point attempts, and 87.2 percent from the free throw line, with a 53.3 eFG percentage.
Kris Dunn, whom Fraschilla mentions, is more of a pure point guard. Dunn averaged 12.8 PPG, 5.8 RPG and 2.2 APG with Providence from 2012-16, but did not become a major contributor for the Friars until his final two seasons in college.
Buddy Hield averaged 17.4 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 1.9 APG and 1.3 SPG with Oklahoma from 2012 through 2016. Hield was a major contributor in his final three seasons with Oklahoma and led the Sooners to the 2016 Final Four. Dunn was the fifth pick in the 2016 NBA Draft by Minnesota and Hield went sixth to New Orleans.
The consensus on Burries is that he will be selected in the middle of the 2026 NBA Draft. As a 6'5 combo guard, Burries perfectly fits the modern NBA. Burries can get his own shot, create for teammates and is an efficient scorer. Burries could play his way into the lottery with a big NCAA Tournament.