Trey Murphy III

Kenneth “Trey” Murphy III, born on June 18, 2000, is a professional American basketball player who has made a name playing for the New Orleans Pelicans in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Prior to joining the NBA, Murphy had an illustrious career in college basketball, where he graced the floors for the Rice Ornaments and the Virginia Cavaliers.

Hailing from Durham, North Carolina, Trey Murphy was born to Kenneth Murphy Jr., and Albeda. Murphy got his early start in basketball at Cary Academy in Cary, North Carolina, where he proved to be a standout player. It was there that Murphy played his senior year, averaging an impressive 24.7 points and 7.4 rebounds per game, while maintaining a 49.4% shooting from the floor. His expertise extended beyond the three-point line, amassing an impressive 43.6% shooting record and 85.8% from the free-throw stripe.

On October 4th, 2017, Murphy committed to playing college basketball for Rice. As a freshman at Rice, he played in all 32 games, despite starting only one, his debut being against Charlotte in March 2019. Murphy registered an average of 8.4 points and 2.6 rebounds. His performance asserted him as the fourth in the Conference USA (C-USA) in three-point field goal percentage (42.1%) and 14th in 3-pointers made per game (2.0).

Murphy continued to develop his craft in his sophomore year at Rice, featuring in 29 games and starting 23. Performance-wise, he led the Owls with an average of 13.7 points and 25 double-figure scoring games, including two double-doubles. One of the key highlights from that year was his six 20-point games.

In March 2020, Murphy made the decision to move and transferred to Virginia in April 2020, a decision encouraged by his native friend, Justin McKoy. Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic on college basketball, Murphy managed to secure 3 years of immediate eligibility. At Virginia, he managed to score 21 points while coming from the bench in the Cavaliers’ season opener, marking his impressive career initiation there.

Murphy maintained a healthy average of 11.3 points and 3.4 rebounds per game in his junior year. He declared for the 2021 NBA draft while still preserving his college eligibility, after a highly efficient 50-40-90 season at Vienna under Tony Bennett’s watch. However, on June 21, 2021, Murphy decided to take the plunge into the professional realm, signing with an agent, ultimately ending his collegiate career.

Memphis Grizzlies showed their interest and chose Murphy as their 17th overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft, although he was eventually traded to the New Orleans Pelicans. After signing his rookie scale contract with the Pelicans in August 2021, Murphy made his NBA debut in October that year. He recorded six points and two assists in a 117–97 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. His debut season also saw him having multiple assignments to the Pelican’s G League affiliate, the Birmingham Squadron.

During the 2022-2023 season, Murphy had an impressive game on February 5th, scoring a then season-high 30 points, along with four rebounds and two assists against the Sacramento Kings. Murphy’s flourishing career saw him being selected to participate in the Slam Dunk Contest at All Star Weekend in Salt Lake City, Utah. Although he made it to the final round, he was defeated by competitor Mac McClung. As Murphy continued to improve, on March 12, 2023, he scored a career-high 41 points in a win against the Portland Trail Blazers.

Off the court, Murphy, also known as Trey, inherited his love for basketball from his father, Kenneth, a former player at East Carolina from 1986 to 1988. He uses the nickname “Trey” in honor of his father, known as “Kenny,” and his grandfather, known as “Ken”.