By Josh CohenSept. 13, 2016
Consistent Pull-Up Jump Shooter
Kevin Murphy has a scorer’s mentality. He generally prefers to dribble into shots. He excels when he drives toward the middle of the floor and pulls up from 10-18 feet. Murphy has a high release, which allows him to shoot over most defenders. WATCH:
Crafty and Unpredictable
Murphy knows how to elude defenders. He has a Jamal Crawford-style shake-and-bake game. While he’s not incredibly fast going downhill or explosive getting to the hoop, Murphy’s stop-and-go movements make him tough to contain. He also has a terrific pump fake. He can fade back or lean in to jumpers, runners and floaters. WATCH:
Good Range
While he’d rather have the ball in his hands and create his own shots, Murphy is more than capable of spotting up from beyond the arc and draining threes. In four seasons at Tennessee Tech, he shot 37 percent from 3-point range and he shot nearly 39 percent from downtown during his outstanding year in the D-League in 2013-14 (averaged 25.5 points per game with Idaho Stampede). WATCH:
Aggressive and Ruthless
Murphy is a volume shooter. Very rarely is he passive or timid, which sometimes is a good thing (cold-blooded, clutch scorer) and sometimes a bad thing (occasionally forces shots and doesn’t contribute to enough ball movement). While he doesn’t have an electrifying first step, Murphy will attack regardless of who is guarding him. WATCH:
Good Off Screens and Tough Shot Maker
Murphy is constantly moving. He darts around screens and as soon as a shot becomes available, he takes it. He also converts on a decent number of AND-1s. He can get smacked on the arm on a runner and still make the shot. In 16 games with the Stampede in 2014-15, Murphy averaged 7.6 free throw attempts per game. WATCH: