MURRAY, NEEDING MONEY, CHALLENGE, TO LEAVE CAL FOR NBA 

By JOHN AKERS 
Mercury News Staff Writer

BERKELEY -- In his final performance at Cal, Lamond Murray was as tough as
ever to pin down. 

Except for this: Murray confirmed Monday that he's skipping his senior season
to play in the NBA, as was long suspected.

''It was mainly because of the economic welfare of my family,'' he said,
''and my dream to play in the NBA.''

Murray, enigmatic and shy, would not be much more specific than that, nor
will he be in the future. He announced early in the news conference that he
would not be taking reporters' phone calls until the June 29 draft. 

Jason Kidd, a Cal sophomore, announced March 22 that he's entering the NBA
draft, but Murray said his own decision was made independently.

''I'm an individual,'' Murray said. ''I was doing my thing here as a freshman
before Jason even got here.''

Murray, a 6-foot-7 forward from Kennedy High School in Fremont, said he made
his final decision late last week, although he could not define the moment.
Later, he said he knew during the season he was NBA-ready. He probably will
be drafted anywhere from 10th to 15th. 

As for the money, Murray said his family is less than well-to-do and that,
living on a monthly scholarship check, he at times wondered where his next
meal was coming from. But Murray's father, James, said Lamond never discussed
money with his family.

And though Murray said his decision was a difficult one, he also said: ''I
don't think anything could have made me stay. I've accomplished everything I
set out to accomplish, and even more. I feel I'm ready.''

Coach Todd Bozeman agreed that Murray is ready, noting that Murray has
matured to the point he has one leg out of the shell that protected him as a
freshman.

''That's not to say he's completely there,'' Bozeman said, ''but you could
say that about any kid. He definitely has my vote.

''Lamond improved from his freshman to his sophomore to his junior year, and
I don't see why he won't continue to improve. He'll be an All-Star in the
NBA.''

Murray said he did little research in reaching his decision. He didn't even
consult cousin Tracy Murray, a forward with the Portland Trail Blazers who
skipped his final two seasons at UCLA to enter the 1992 draft.

''From what little I know,'' Murray said, ''I feel I'm a player who'll be
picked high.''

He went on a feeling, a style that served him well the past three seasons. He
set Cal's career and single-season scoring records and was named a third-team
All-American.

''I used to call him the Quiet Storm,'' Bozeman said. ''Lamond will hold it
in, and then totally let it out. There were times in practice or in games,
and he'd get in a zone and be totally unbelievable.''

The game that came to many minds was a 36-point effort against Washington
State in January, when one of Murray's first baskets was a three-point shot
that he took while falling out of bounds. Mixed in was a left-handed hook
shot, tried for the first time, that Murray's father said was significant.

''That's something you don't do, unless you're bored,'' James Murray said.
''He said, 'What else am I going to do? Twenty-five points in one half . . .
that's too easy.' ''

Murray agreed that he's pursuing a new challenge, as well as a dream and the
money.

''Once the Pac-10 season began, there was nobody at my position I had to
shoot for,'' Murray said. ''It was more that they were coming after me.
Everyone was shooting after me, night after night after night.''

The Pac-10 couldn't pin him down any better than reporters could. Now it's
the NBA's turn.

LAMOND MURRAY'S STATISTICS AT CAL   
Rebounding, scoring averages:  
Season   G   Reb.   Pts.  

1991-'92   28   6.1   13.8  

1992-'93   30   6.3   19.1  

1993-'94   30   7.9   24.3  

Totals   88   6.8   19.2