Allen Iverson and Caron Butler have talked about their journey from the streets to making it to the NBA. Iverson got arrested once for a street brawl and had to complete his senior year of high school at a school for “at-risk” students. San Antonio Spurs guard Dejounte Murray has also had a similar story.

During an interview with Chris Haynes from Yahoo Sports, Murray talked about his tough childhood. “My mom was in and out penitentiary when I was a baby. At four-five years old I knew every drug word because I was exposed to it.” Murray also revealed that he spent time at juvenile jail. “It’s crazy, at 11 years old I caught my first case. I could have (gone) away to juvenile lifetime.”

A potential franchise player for the San Antonio Spurs?

Murray also mentioned that he was grateful to Jamal Crawford for continuously looking out for him. “I was a freshman shining. Jamal was like, you can make it to the league. I salute him to this day. He didn’t have to take that role. He took that role to make sure he helped Dejounte Murray.”

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Murray said that after juvenile, he felt changed. And Crawford was there to guide him. “I happened to be in juvenile for like a month. When I came home, I really wanted to change my life. And Jamal kept pushing the issue. He kept texting me. He probably had a game in Phoenix tomorrow, but he’s worried about me. ‘Get out of the streets, go to school, go get into the gym every day.’ I’ve never looked back since I got out of juvenile in my sophomore year.”

After being drafted 29th overall in the 2016 NBA Draft, he has proven to be a steal for the Spurs. An elite defender, his playstyle perfectly fits Popovich’s defense system. Murray made history in 2018 when he became the youngest player to feature in an All-Defense team. After Tony Parker left in 2018, Murray has taken over that starting spot for the Spurs.

Despite missing the entire 2018-19 season, Murray came back strong and averaged career-high numbers. He averaged 10.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 4.1 assists and 1.7 steals per game. If he can keep improving, especially in the playmaking department, the Spurs have a player that can potentially be a household name for years to come. Along with Lonnie Walker, San Antonio boasts one of the most exciting and promising backcourts.