Trey Murphy III, the ever-growing Pelican

He took off without momentum with one foot outside the key to slam a two-handed dunk. Since the start of the season, Trey Murphy III dunked 20 times in 20 games.

” I use my whole body now. At one point when I started growing up, I was playing smaller than I was because I wasn’t used to playing so close to the circle. Now I feel like I’m really enjoying it », delivers the 22-year-old.

The latter has undergone a significant physical evolution in recent years. When he arrived in high school, he was only 1m73 tall. When he was recruited by Rice University, he had already gained 20 centimeters. Today ? ” I would say 6 foot 9 (2m06) and half. But who says that? So 6 foot 10 (2m08)”, simplifies the winger.

This gain in centimeters obviously had its importance for his career prospects. He began to envision a professional career from his freshman year in college, unsure whether the sequel would be played in the United States or elsewhere. In his second year, where he averaged 14 points and 5 rebounds, he thought that the NBA would be possible by rubbing shoulders with players who were heading for the 2020 Draft.

“ I have the same characteristics as these guys and I feel like I can shoot better than a lot of them. “, said the player, who spent his third and last year of university in Virginia, at the time, being convinced that his “ time would come “.

The Draft to the surprise of his mother

Originally, he thought he would stay an extra year in Virginia, before finally giving in to the temptation of the Draft, in June 2021. To the surprise of some…

” He had conversations with his father behind my back. They both agreed to keep him in the Draft. They told me at the very last moment: ‘He’s not going to go back, he’s going to stay registered.’ I was like ‘Oh my God’. We weren’t prepared “recalls his mother, Albeda.

A few weeks later, he was drafted in 17th position by the Pelicans in the greatest family emotion. ” In my mind, I never said, ‘My son will one day (in the NBA)’. I never believed it until it actually happened “says his mother.

The latter then perhaps did not imagine that her son would become a player so involved in the rotation of the Pelicans. For four games, with three starts in the absence of Brandon Ingram, he has played the best basketball of his career with 21 points on average.