“I missed the fans,” Murphy told local media members on Friday. “I just can’t let y’all go, man. This is my home, where I belong and I wasn’t going to let that go. I can’t be selfish and made the decision to stay here.”
Murphy, a redshirt sophomore from Birmingham, entered the transfer portal on April 10 after a season in which he averaged just 4.7 points and 3.1 rebounds over 21 games. He missed missed Mississippi State’s first-five games of the year due to an offseason foo
Murphy also left the team at the beginning of Southeastern Conference play, missing eight consecutive games, due to “personal matters”, and returned for the Bulldogs’ home win over Georgia.
By mid-season, it had looked like Murphy worked his way into becoming a vital depth piece for the Bulldogs, scoring in double figures in back-to-back wins over Ole Miss in Starkville and at LSU. However, he scored just four points over Mississippi State’s last six games of the year.
Ten days later, Murphy withdrew his name, opting to return to the Bulldogs.
“He was going to be a (Bull)dog,” Mississippi State head coach Chris Jans told local media members on June 6 of his reaction to Murphy returning. “I am very happy that he made that decision.”
As Mississippi State begins preparations for this upcoming season with summer workouts, Murphy has taken over a leadership role in the Bulldogs’ forward room.
With the departures of All-Southeastern Conference forward Tolu Smith and backup Jimmy Bell Jr., Jans used the transfer portal to find their replacements in Miami’s Michael Nwoko and Rhode Island’s Jeremy Foumena, both of which have only logged minutes in one college basketball season.
Foumena has yet to arrive on campus, working through visa issues after returning home in France. Nwoko, a former four-star recruit, has already made an early impression on Murphy.
“He has a high motor,” Murphy said of the transfer. “Ready to go at all times. He listens and he’s a good person…I like good people. We are getting along and everything will take care of itself. He doesn’t complain, works and knows what we are here for.”
After looking at other options, so does Murphy. Fully bought into the Bulldogs in a third season with Jans, Murphy is ready to accept any role given to him when it comes time to begin this year’s basketball season.
“I am working everywhere (on the court) right now,” Murphy said. “Right now we have positionless basketball. Sometimes I will be pushing (downcourt), sometimes running the floor. Sometimes setting ball screens. I’m just wherever I need to be to help the team.”
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