One of the best parts of draft time is the opportunity to check out and talk to a lot of players who you may not get to see during the season. I recently spoke to Nick Murphy, a 6’4 guard out of Jacksonville State about his career there, where he became the school’s all-time leader in scoring, as well as many other categories. Nick, a Bronx native, is busy preparing for draft workouts, but took some time to speak about himself as a player, and how he is getting ready to show his talents to NBA teams:
Nick on going from the Bronx to
“Originally I didn’t qualify coming out of school, I had some schools interested in me, but I needed to qualify. I ended up going to Harmony Prep and Jacksonville State was really interested in me. I thought it would be a good fit.”
Nick on how
“My whole game improved while I was there, but the most important thing is that it really slowed the game down for me. I was used to always going as fast as I could, but the coaches really taught me to understand all parts of the game.”
Nick on his strengths as a player:
“I think my biggest strength is that I am a leader on the court. I do whatever I need to do to help my team win. I am also very versatile as a player – I can score, I can rebound, I can pass and play defense.”
Nick on what parts of his game he wants to improve:
“I definitely want to become more consistent hitting the NBA three, but I also want to make sure I am improving my whole game all the time.”
Nick on his preparations for the draft:
“I am working out every day with one of the team managers. I go through agility drills, and work on all different parts of my game. Soon I will be heading out to Impact in Las Vegas to work out there.”
Nick on what he sees his role as at the next level:
“I’m a big guard, I can play either the 1 or the 2, but I think the biggest impact I can make is as a defender. I can guard both guard positions and they can put me out there to bother the scorers.”
Nick on what he wants teams and fans to know about him:
“I’m a competitor. I am from the Bronx and have always played with some top talent and I have shown I can play against them. I just want to be able to play and do whatever I need to do to get the job done.”
I want to thank Nick for his time and I wish him the best of luck as he looks to fulfill his dream of getting to the NBA. Thank you also to his agent Charles Briscoe of BP Sports Management for arranging this interview.