New Orleans rookie forward Trey Murphy III was a late bloomer hoops-wise in a variety of ways, including a growth spurt that saw him transition from a guard to a 6-foot-9 forward, while also helping move him up a few notches in the eyes of college basketball program recruiters. As the 2021 NBA Draft approached, Murphy also was a late riser, going from a possible late-first rounder to being selected No. 17 overall (officially by Memphis, but traded to New Orleans).
The University of Virginia and Rice University product is this week’s subject in the latest edition of Pelicans.com’s “24 Seconds” Q&A feature:
Pelicans.com: When did you first realize you loved basketball?
Murphy: I didn’t realize it until my junior year of high school. It was a little late. Something changed about me, and I couldn’t really put a finger to it. I got my driver’s license, so that’s when I was driving to workouts twice a day and going to the gym, because that’s what I loved to do.
Pelicans.com: In the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, you immediately announced that you were donating meals to people in need in the Gulf South. What motivated you to do that?
Murphy: One, no matter where I was drafted, I wanted to give back to the community. Two, New Orleans has really accepted me and showed me a lot of love and support. And so any way I can help, I want to show my gratitude for everything they’ve done. I want to make these people understand that I am here for them and I will use my platform for a good purpose and help my community.
Pelicans.com: Changing subjects to basketball, analytics have become a bigger and bigger part of NBA discussion. As a player, how much are you aware of some of the data and the numbers?
Murphy: It’s something that has benefited me a ton, so I know a good portion of it. Plus, I’m someone who loves basketball, so I pay attention to every aspect of it.
Pelicans.com: When you say analytics benefited you a ton, what specifically do you mean?
Murphy: People recognizing how efficient I am (from his college shooting percentages of being a 50-40-90 player last season for Virginia). People looked at my efficiency numbers and how big I am, and were like ‘You don’t really find that (combination) a lot.’ I think that really benefited me, especially in the pre-draft process.
Pelicans.com: Does it have any impact on how you view your game or the way you play?
Murphy: I’m not going to say I ignore it, but I’m not going to put too much pressure on it. Once you start (thinking), ‘I’ve got to be efficient, got to be efficient,’ that’s when there are times where you’ve missed a few shots, get an open one, but still have to take it. You can’t be worried about your percentage, because your team needs to win.