Taine Murray

{{Infobox basketball biography

| name = Taine Murray

| image = Taine Murray.jpg

| caption = Murray with the Virginia Cavaliers in 2023

| number =

| position = Shooting guard

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 5

| weight_lb = 205

| league = NBL

| team = Brisbane Bullets

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2002|4|19|df=y}}

| birth_place = Hong Kong

| nationality = New Zealand

| high_school = Rosmini College
(Auckland, New Zealand)

| college = Virginia (2021–present)

| career_start = 2020

| years1 = 2020

| team1 = Auckland Huskies

| years2 = 2020–2021

| team2 = New Zealand Breakers

| years3 = 2025–present

| team3 = Brisbane Bullets

| highlights =

| medaltemplates =

}}

Taine Jackson Murray (born 19 April 2002) is a New Zealand professional basketball player for the Brisbane Bullets of the National Basketball League (NBL). He played college basketball for the Virginia Cavaliers.

Early life and career

Murray was born in Hong Kong to New Zealand parents.{{Cite web|url=https://virginiasports.com/player/taine-murray/|title=Taine Murray|date=June 7, 2021|website=Virginia Cavaliers Official Athletic Site}} He grew up in Auckland, New Zealand, where he attended Rosmini College. He began playing for Rosmini College's basketball team in 2017. He helped the team to an 82–14 record across his tenure, including national championships in 2017 and 2018, and a second-place finish in 2019. He scored a career-high 49 points in a win over Auckland Grammar School.

Murray joined the Auckland Huskies prior to the 2020 New Zealand NBL season.{{cite web|last=Egan|first=Brendon|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/basketball/121787308/otago-nuggets-select-jordan-ngatai-first-in-nbl-showdown-draft|title=Otago Nuggets select Jordan Ngatai first in NBL Showdown draft|work=Stuff.co.nz|date=11 June 2020|access-date=3 July 2021}} In 10 games, he averaged 17.8 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game.{{cite web|url=https://basketball.realgm.com/player/Taine-Murray/Summary/163888|title=Taine Murray|work=realgm.com|access-date=3 July 2021}}

In August 2020, Murray joined the New Zealand Breakers of the Australian National Basketball League (NBL) for the 2020–21 season as a non-contracted development player.{{cite news|url=https://www.nzbreakers.basketball/news/shamir-taine-murray-is-one-for-the-future|title=Shamir: "Taine Murray is One for the Future"|work=nzbreakers.basketball|date=20 August 2020|access-date=3 July 2021}} He appeared in just two games during the season, logging no box score statistics.{{cite web|url=https://www.nzbreakers.basketball/player/3684/1572228/taine-murray|title=Taine Murray|work=nzbreakers.basketball|access-date=3 July 2021}}

=Recruiting=

On 13 September 2020, following interest from multiple American college programs, Murray committed to the University of Virginia.{{Cite web|url=https://virginia.sportswar.com/article/2020/09/13/taine-murray-commits-virginia-cavaliers/|title=New Zealand Guard Taine Murray Becomes Virginia Basketball's First 2021 Commitment | TheSabre.com|website=virginia.sportswar.com|date=13 September 2020 }}

{{College athlete recruit entry

| recruit = Taine Murray

| position = SG

| hometown = Auckland, New Zealand

| highschool = Rosmini College (NZ)

| feet = 6

| inches = 5

| weight = 190

| commitdate = September 13, 2020

| scout stars =

| rivals stars = 4

| 247 stars = 4

| espn grade = NR

| espn stars =

}}

{{College athlete recruit end

| year = 2021

| rivals ref title = Virginia 2021 Basketball Commitments

| scout ref title = 2021 Virginia Commits

| 247 ref title = Virginia 2021 Basketball Commitments

| espn ref title = 2021 Player Commits

| rivals school = virginia

| scout s = 190

| 247 school = virginia

| espn schoolid = 258

| 247 overall = 82

| rivals overall = 77

| espn overall = –

| accessdate = June 8, 2021

| bball = yes

}}

College career

Murray played four seasons of college basketball for the Virginia Cavaliers between 2021 and 2025. In 96 career games, he averaged 3.0 points and 1.2 rebounds per game.{{cite web |title=Taine Murray College Stats |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/taine-murray-1.html |website=College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com |access-date=15 April 2025 |language=en}}

Professional career

=Brisbane Bullets (2025–present)=

On 15 April 2025, Murray signed a two-year deal with the Brisbane Bullets of the NBL.{{cite news |title=Collegiate product joins Bullets |url=https://nbl.com.au/news/collegiate-product-joins-bullets |access-date=15 April 2025 |work=nbl.com.au |date=15 April 2025 |language=en}}

National team career

Murray was named to the New Zealand team competing in the 2019 FIBA Under-17 Oceania Championships, averaging 7 points, 1 rebound and 1.5 assists per game.{{Cite web|url=http://www.fiba.basketball/oceania/u17/2019/player/Taine-Murray|title=Taine MURRAY at the FIBA U17 Oceania Championships 2019|website=FIBA.basketball}}

He was called up to the senior New Zealand national team for the first time for a 2021 FIBA Asia Cup qualifier against Australia on 20 February 2021. Murray led the inexperienced team in scoring with 14 points as they fell 52–81.{{Cite web|url=https://nz.basketball/cameron-names-1o-debutants-for-tall-blacks-against-australia/|title=Cameron names 1O debutants for Tall Blacks against Australia | publisher=Basketball New Zealand|date=17 February 2021|accessdate=24 January 2024}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.fiba.basketball/asiacup/2021/qualifiers/game/3011/New-Zealand-Australia|title=New Zealand v Australia boxscore - FIBA Asia Cup 2021 Qualifiers - 20 February|website=FIBA.basketball}}