Trey Murphy III

Murphy is an American forward who reached the NBA through the 2021 draft after a decorated collegiate career split between Rice and Virginia. Known for elite shooting efficiency, he was the most recent NCAA player to record a 50–40–90 season before entering the league.

Born Kenneth Murphy III on June 18, 2000, in Durham, North Carolina, he attended Cary Academy and averaged 24.7 points and 7.4 rebounds as a senior while shooting 49.4 percent from the field, 43.6 percent from three, and 85.8 percent from the free throw line. He had a notable growth spurt, standing 5 ft 8 as a freshman and reaching 6 ft 8 by the time of his draft. He committed to Rice on October 4, 2017.

At Rice, Murphy averaged 8.4 points as a freshman and ranked fourth in Conference USA in three-point percentage at 42.1 percent. As a sophomore, he averaged 13.7 points and led the Owls with six 20-point games. He entered the transfer portal on March 30, 2020, and transferred to Virginia on April 14, 2020.

At Virginia, Murphy did not have to sit out due to COVID-19 eligibility changes. He came off the bench but started the remainder of the season after December 2020. He averaged 11.3 points and 3.4 rebounds while posting a 50–43–93 shooting split, becoming the most recent NCAA player to achieve a 50–40–90 season. He declared for the 2021 NBA draft and signed with an agent.

The Memphis Grizzlies selected Murphy 17th overall in the 2021 NBA draft and traded him to the New Orleans Pelicans. He signed his rookie-scale contract on August 10, 2021. He made his NBA debut on October 20, 2021, and helped the Pelicans reach the postseason in 2022.

Murphy functions as an elite floor-spacing forward with deep range, high efficiency, and the size to defend multiple positions. His 50–40–90 season at Virginia demonstrated rare shooting precision. In the NBA, his development centers on expanding his off-the-dribble game, defensive versatility, and maintaining elite shooting splits.