Denver Nuggets legends Dan Issel and Alex English were surprised to learn that last weekend was Jamal Murray’s first NBA All-Star selection. Nonetheless, they are happy to see one of their own make it to the showpiece event.
“It’s past due. I mean, this kid has been playing great basketball for four or five years. It’s not like he just started. And I think he got the brunt of having a superstar like Jokic playing with him… He’s been the sidekick. He’s been the Batman sidekick, and hasn’t gotten the accolades he has overwhelmingly deserved, honestly. But this man’s been an All-Star a long time,” English told Bennett Durando of The Denver Post.
“He should have been an All-Star before now, but I think part of the explanation is that he’s playing with the greatest player on the planet,” Issel stated. “And I think that usurps, sometimes, what a great player he is. But when he needs to, he also steps up… I don’t know that they’d be a championship-caliber team — it would depend who else was with Jamal — but I think he would be very successful if he was on a team where he was the No. 1 scoring option.”
The Denver Nuggets were one of the seven teams with multiple All-Stars last Sunday, as Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray represented the Mile High in Los Angeles, playing for Team World.
Denver Nuggets News: Jamal Murray reveals next career goal after first All-Star appearance
Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray plans to build off his recent NBA All-Star appearance by finishing the 2025-26 campaign as one of the league’s best players, especially with some of the top stars likely to be ineligible to win awards.
“I want to be an All-NBA type of player now that I’ve made All-Star,” Murray declared. “So, I think that’s my next near goal for the future. That means that I’m playing a whole season of great basketball. So if I can do that, then we’ll consider a strong season.”
“Get healthy is a big one,” he continued. “It’s hard to rate or critique our team right now with our whole starting five basically out. Once we’re healthy, once we get guys back, we’ll be in a better place.”
