It was a Sunday afternoon in early July, and Jamal Murray had been in Las Vegas for a number of days — sufficient time for the town to wear down anybody.
“I’m a bit of hung over,” he mentioned, smiling in apology as he tried — unsuccessfully — to recollect some particulars of the post-championship interactions he’d had with Denver Nuggets followers. Murray, the Nuggets’ star level guard, was lower than a month faraway from serving to the franchise win its first N.B.A. championship.
He had spent the earlier night time feting his pal Alexander Volkanovski, U.F.C.’s featherweight champion, after Volkanovski gained U.F.C. 290 to stay undefeated within the 145-pound weight class. Murray had joined him for a number of hours earlier than the struggle and had been struck by how comfortable Volkanovski was. The fighter had been glad to snicker and joke with Murray regardless of an vital bout awaiting him later that night.
“This is sort of a championship belt for him, proper?” Murray mentioned. “He was simply so unfastened about it. It type of introduced me again to, like, I don’t need to take my routine as severe so long as I understand how to flip a swap, flip it on and convey it once I want it.”
The lesson might come in useful for Murray as he prepares for his subsequent N.B.A. season, with coaching camps starting in a few month. Final week, he went to Sydney to attend U.F.C. 293, the place Israel Adesanya misplaced his middleweight belt to Sean Strickland. Murray deliberate to spend a while coaching with Volkanovski whereas there.
Murray befriended Volkanovski throughout a go to to Australia final August. They shot a video collectively, with every one going by means of the opposite’s coaching routines. Murray hit a heavy bag. Volkanovski shot some free throws.
There are superficial variations between the 2 — Murray is almost a foot taller than the 5-foot-6 Volkanovski, and Volkanovski is eight years older — however in Murray, Volkanovski noticed somebody who shared the work ethic and self-discipline on which he prided himself. Volkanovski immediately took to Murray.
“I’m a Nuggets man now purely due to our connection,” Volkanovski mentioned in late July, a number of weeks after Murray joined him for U.F.C. 290.
Their friendship grew at a difficult time for Murray.
Murray had missed the 2021-22 N.B.A. season as he recovered from a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. He needed to educate himself the best way to stroll once more, and he spent days questioning about his basketball future.
Nuggets Coach Michael Malone later recalled that Murray, with tears in his eyes, had requested if the Nuggets have been going to commerce him due to his harm.
Within the fall of 2022, Murray started enjoying N.B.A. basketball once more.
Denver had one of the best file within the Western Convention for many of the season. As Murray grew extra snug, he and Nikola Jokic, the workforce’s star heart, grew to become a fearsome tandem. Through the playoffs, they grew to become the primary teammates to have triple-doubles with not less than 30 factors in the identical recreation.
“I’m nonetheless coming again, although,” Murray mentioned in July. “I didn’t have a full low season to get better. Or prepare on what I needed to. My complete final summer season was simply engaged on my power right here.”
He patted his knee.
“And that was it. I didn’t get to work on my recreation.”
He had thrown himself into his return, and he had additionally been gravely severe about his pregame routine, leaving no time for levity.
The Nuggets gained the N.B.A. championship in June, beating the Miami Warmth in 5 video games. That closing night time, as Murray left the sector in Denver, he sat within the passenger seat of a black automobile and infrequently rolled down his window to greet anybody who needed to say howdy. At one stoplight round 1 a.m., a fan noticed Murray as she was crossing the road. She sprinted over to Murray and hugged him by means of the automobile window. Somewhat than recoil at contact from a stranger, Murray returned the hug, smiling.
“All people’s simply making an attempt to be part of the second, which is basically cool,” Murray mentioned.
About 4 weeks later, he joined Volkanovski for his personal championship bout.
There, Murray noticed a special fashion of preparation than the one he’d employed in the course of the season.
“I’ll undoubtedly have my second all through my automobile journey, ‘There’s no manner that they’re taking this belt away from me.’ However I’m often fairly chill,” Volkanovski mentioned. “I’m glad to have a bit of snicker.”
Volkanovski mentioned he puzzled if the violent nature of blended martial arts may need made Murray extra keen on his relaxed demeanor earlier than the struggle.
“In all probability he might have a look at that, I imply, like, ‘This man’s about to go to struggle and he actually treats it as, like, you recognize, that is his job, he is aware of he’ll be fantastic,’” Volkanovski mentioned. “‘He’s clearly assured in his preparation and all that.’”
Whereas Volkanovski appreciated listening to that Murray sought inspiration from his course of, he respects Murray’s course of as properly.
“Everybody has their very own manner of making ready for his or her — no matter they do,” Volkanovski mentioned. “And you may by no means knock it, as a result of clearly he’s enjoying some good basketball, so that you don’t need to change a lot.”
In July, Murray stayed for Volkanovski’s post-fight media appearances, then celebrated afterward at a gathering that Shaquille O’Neal additionally attended. The summer season, not less than, afforded an opportunity to unwind.