BleedGopher
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per Shama:
Murphy isn’t flashy in style of play, or personality. He’s a grinder and not without weaknesses in his game. He certainly can have his awkward and not so productive moments. At the top of any such list is a tendency to foul too much, including early in games.
That sends the team MVP to the bench, and it’s frustrating to watch because often his infractions seem so unnecessary, while other times he’s the target of blown calls by officials. The Gophers aren’t the same team without Murphy’s rebounding and low post scoring.
The opinion here is the soft-spoken and likeable Murphy has gone through his college career under appreciated in this town and beyond. Grimm pointed out that awhile ago the Big Ten Network listed its top five forwards and centers in the Big Ten and didn’t include Murphy. Then the network acknowledged that the San Antonio native probably should have been among the elite.
Why the slight? “I think he’s quiet. I don’t think he’s flamboyant,” Grimm said. “He’s not going to knock your socks off by hitting seven threes in a night. Now he can dunk and he moves well, but I don’t think he’s one of those guys that’s going to come flying from the free throw line and throw one down either. He works hard to get his points. A lot of his points come on putbacks where he has worked to establish position.”
Winning teams help players receive recognition. Two of the past three seasons have been disasters for the Gophers but Murphy’s sophomore year the team was 24-10 overall and 11-7 in the Big Ten. He was selected third team All-Big Ten that year and second team a year ago when he led the league in rebounding and the nation in double-doubles. This fall he was named first-team Preseason All-Big Ten.
Minnesota goes into tonight’s game at home against Illinois with an overall record of 15-5 and 5-4 in the Big Ten. If the Gophers can finish toward the top of the league standings and advance to the NCAA Tournament, regional and national honors are more likely for Murphy who is on the 25-man list of candidates announced this month for the Wooden Award, recognizing the nation’s best Division I player.
After leaving the Gophers Murphy will try to make an NBA roster. Because of his minimal height for a front court power position player and limited shooting range and ball handling, he is suspect as an NBA draft choice. Nbadraft.net, for example, doesn’t list Murphy on its 2019 mock draft for either the first or second rounds.
Former Gophers head coach Jim Dutcher sent McHale, Thompson and Tucker to the NBA and successful careers but he’s uncertain about Murphy’s pro future. “If you project him (Murphy), I don’t know where the pros…would put him,” Dutcher told Sports Headliners. “He’s not an outside player and in the league (NBA) he’ll have trouble scoring with the size of those (big guys).
“So he’s kind of a mystery guy, but you look at him as just a college player, he’s gotta be one of the better guys ever to play (at Minnesota). With his versatility, his double-doubles, his being the all-time rebounder.”
http://shamasportsheadliners.com/
Go Gophers!!
Murphy isn’t flashy in style of play, or personality. He’s a grinder and not without weaknesses in his game. He certainly can have his awkward and not so productive moments. At the top of any such list is a tendency to foul too much, including early in games.
That sends the team MVP to the bench, and it’s frustrating to watch because often his infractions seem so unnecessary, while other times he’s the target of blown calls by officials. The Gophers aren’t the same team without Murphy’s rebounding and low post scoring.
The opinion here is the soft-spoken and likeable Murphy has gone through his college career under appreciated in this town and beyond. Grimm pointed out that awhile ago the Big Ten Network listed its top five forwards and centers in the Big Ten and didn’t include Murphy. Then the network acknowledged that the San Antonio native probably should have been among the elite.
Why the slight? “I think he’s quiet. I don’t think he’s flamboyant,” Grimm said. “He’s not going to knock your socks off by hitting seven threes in a night. Now he can dunk and he moves well, but I don’t think he’s one of those guys that’s going to come flying from the free throw line and throw one down either. He works hard to get his points. A lot of his points come on putbacks where he has worked to establish position.”
Winning teams help players receive recognition. Two of the past three seasons have been disasters for the Gophers but Murphy’s sophomore year the team was 24-10 overall and 11-7 in the Big Ten. He was selected third team All-Big Ten that year and second team a year ago when he led the league in rebounding and the nation in double-doubles. This fall he was named first-team Preseason All-Big Ten.
Minnesota goes into tonight’s game at home against Illinois with an overall record of 15-5 and 5-4 in the Big Ten. If the Gophers can finish toward the top of the league standings and advance to the NCAA Tournament, regional and national honors are more likely for Murphy who is on the 25-man list of candidates announced this month for the Wooden Award, recognizing the nation’s best Division I player.
After leaving the Gophers Murphy will try to make an NBA roster. Because of his minimal height for a front court power position player and limited shooting range and ball handling, he is suspect as an NBA draft choice. Nbadraft.net, for example, doesn’t list Murphy on its 2019 mock draft for either the first or second rounds.
Former Gophers head coach Jim Dutcher sent McHale, Thompson and Tucker to the NBA and successful careers but he’s uncertain about Murphy’s pro future. “If you project him (Murphy), I don’t know where the pros…would put him,” Dutcher told Sports Headliners. “He’s not an outside player and in the league (NBA) he’ll have trouble scoring with the size of those (big guys).
“So he’s kind of a mystery guy, but you look at him as just a college player, he’s gotta be one of the better guys ever to play (at Minnesota). With his versatility, his double-doubles, his being the all-time rebounder.”
http://shamasportsheadliners.com/
Go Gophers!!
