Former Nuggets coach takes unnecessary shots at Jamal Murray

Fans haven’t seen the best version of Jamal Murray for a while now, but a former Nuggets head coach went too far with his recent tweet about the Denver point guard. 

George Karl, who coached the Nuggets from 2004 to 2013, ripped Murray for his poor play at the 2024 Olympics. The Hall-of-Fame coach didn’t hold back with his criticism.

Karl is no stranger to controversy when it comes to his outspoken comments on players. He also had well-documented issues with several players in the past. Karl may have ended his career as one of ten coaches in NBA history to win 1,000 games, but many of his former players have publicly bashed him for his brash nature.

From Carmelo Anthony to J.R. Smith, many former Nuggets have criticized Karl. On his podcast "7PM in Brooklyn," Anthony called out Karl for taking his dislike for stars out on him. According to Melo, Karl disliked his former superstar teammate George Gervin when they played together on the San Antonio Spurs. Karl supposedly deflected those negative feelings toward Anthony.

Karl has never been shy about his issues with certain players, even going so far as to write a book about it all. He titled it, “Furious George: My Forty Years Surviving NBA Divas, Clueless GMs, and Poor Shot Selection.”

George Karl went too far with his comments on Jamal Murray

When it comes to Karl’s comments on Murray, he may have crossed the line. The line that separates an old-school coach simply calling it like it is from an old-school coach wrongly slandering the character of a champion.

Jamal Murray’s recent postseason was a far cry from his 2023 title run, and the Blue Arrow seemed to deal with a playoff hangover at the Olympics. He played an abysmal tournament for Team Canada, averaging a measly 6.0 points on 29.0% shooting from the field and 14.3% shooting from three. Murray finished the tournament with an ice-cold seven points on 3-of-13 shooting in a tough loss to France.

Murray dealt with injury problems throughout the playoffs, nursing a calf strain in the first round and an elbow injury in the second round. He didn’t look like himself at the Olympics, and he was away from Team Canada for a personal matter before the tournament even started.

Canada also brought Murray off the bench, hinting at the possibility that he was not 100% healthy. Whether injuries had anything to do with his slump or not, fans can’t give up on a player like Murray. Along with his obvious postseason pedigree, Murray has worn his heart on his sleeve throughout his entire career. His passion and resilience over the years should have Denver fans hoping he stays a Nugget for life. 

Back in April of 2021, Murray tore his ACL. After 18 months of recovery, the beloved point guard came back better than ever as he averaged 26.1 points and 7.1 assists on the way to a legendary championship.

The Blue Arrow couldn’t hide his emotions after winning his first ring. He endured a long road back from his ACL tear, and that road ended in pure basketball glory.

Murray has poured his heart and soul into the Nuggets organization, and fans cannot forget that. Doesn’t sound like a “bitter, bad attitude dude” to me.