Nuggets' Jamal Murray nominated for Best Comeback Athlete ESPY

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Jamal Murray was sidelined for roughly 18 months after tearing his ACL. A little over two years after suffering that tragic injury, he played a significant role in winning an NBA championship. Now, he’s being recognized for all that he had to overcome.

Murray’s comeback story is truly special. He was just 24 years old when he tore his ACL in his left knee on April 12, 2021. The former Kentucky guard was steadily on the rise as a member of the Denver Nuggets (remember his showstopping run during the 2020 Playoffs in the Bubble?) up until his knee gave out. He would sit out the remainder of the 2020-21 season and all of ’21-22 — just as his game was beginning to blossom.

The Nuggets still had two-time MVP Nikola Jokic on the roster, but the franchise was always going to be limited as a title contender until Murray returned back to full health. The 6-foot-4 point guard finally hit the hardwood again to start the ’22-23 season but got off to an expected slow start. That didn’t last long, however. Murray ultimately went on to average 20.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 6.2 assists on shooting splits of 45.4/39.8/83.3 this season. But he would emphatically announce that he was “back” once the postseason began.

During the 2023 Playoffs, Murray was spectacular alongside Jokic as Denver cruised to the franchise’s first-ever NBA Finals trophy. Murray’s numbers jumped off the page in 20 postseason contests. He averaged 26.1 points, 5.7 rebounds, 7.1 assists, and 1.5 steals in 40.0 minutes per outing on shooting splits of 47.3/39.6/92.6.

All of this led to Murray being nominated by ESPN for the Best Comeback Athlete ESPY. He joins a list of four finalists that also includes Jon Jones (UFC), Alyssa Thomas (WNBA), and Justin Verlander (MLB). The 2023 ESPYs are scheduled for Wednesday, July 12 at 8:00 p.m. EST on ABC.

You can vote for Murray to win the award by clicking the link here or by logging your pick through the tweet below. With nearly 10,000 votes already logged, Murray has received over 60 percent of the vote.