The NBA is never short on surprises, and Jamal Murray added to that during the Nuggets’ game against the Dallas Mavericks, giving fans a good laugh. While Denver Nuggets was fighting back from a 24-point deficit, he took a moment to show off his kung-fu moves. As Mavericks rookie Dereck Lively II lined up for free throws, Murray casually snatched a buzzing fly out of thin air with his bare hands, leaving everyone—from fans to commentators—completely stunned.
And he didn’t stop there. Instead of just flicking the fly away like a normal person, Murray walked it over to the ESPN broadcast table and handed it to analyst Doris Burke, who could barely believe what was happening. “He just passed me a fly,” she said on-air, clearly trying to process the bizarre moment.
Jamal Murray caught a fly and gave it to Doris Burke 😭 pic.twitter.com/uhECdEHLeE
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 23, 2024
Meanwhile, her co-announcer, Mike Breen, called the scene with the same enthusiasm he’d give to a game-winning buzzer-beater. Burke even nodded to Murray’s reflexes, crediting “the mixed martial arts unbelievable training that his dad gave him as a kid.” It was a truly surreal break in what was already an intense game.
Of course, this isn’t the first time Murray’s physical skills have grabbed headlines. Just last year, he wrestled UFC featherweight champ Alexander Volkanovski in a friendly match and managed not to tap out of a rear-naked choke—impressive stuff. But on this night, his reflexes might’ve outshined his basketball skills. Murray had a tough night on the court, only managing 14 points on a rough 4-for-16 shooting. The Nuggets couldn’t quite pull it off, losing 123-120, making their NBA Cup run even more challenging.
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Social Media Reacts To Jamal Murray’s Fly-Grabbing Moment
Naturally, the internet had a field day with this. The clip went viral on X (formerly Twitter), and fans had jokes for days. One fan wrote, “Jamal Murray out here catching flies like it’s nothing Doris Burke got the assist of the night.”
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Jamal Murray out here catching flies like it’s nothing Doris Burke got the assist of the night.
— DEGEN 👑 (@iamjustape) November 23, 2024
Another fan said, “Jamal’s got skills on and off the court“
Jamal’s got skills on and off the court
— Rabb Nawaz (@RabbNawaz) November 23, 2024
One more fan wrote, “Jamal is the real MVP! 😂“
Jamal is the real MVP! 😂
— Jaouad (@technologix) November 23, 2024
Another fan added, “Jamal Murray out here like Mr. Miyagi,” along with a hilarious gif.
Jamal Murray out here like Mr. Miyagi pic.twitter.com/lwlpgmtPgI
— The Reese's Guy⁷ (@AndrewAthias) November 23, 2024
Not everyone was laughing, though. A frustrated fan tweeted, “Nice that he accomplished something tonight. Definitely wasn’t playing ball.”
Nice that he accomplished something tonight. Definitely wasn’t playing ball.
— Wayne White (@waynecwhitejr) November 23, 2024
Another fan stated, “Denver really need to trade him if they’re serious about winning“
Denver really need to trade him if they’re serious about winning
— B3ingÃProbl3m (@B3ingAProbl3m) November 23, 2024
Despite his rough night shooting, Murray hit two clutch free throws late in the game, keeping Denver in it. But it wasn’t enough in the end. The Nuggets lost the game, dropping their record to 8-6. Still, no matter how the game turned out, Murray’s fly-catching antics are guaranteed to live on in NBA lore.
