NBA Comparison: Anthony Parker

Strengths: Explosive scorer that possesses a wide offensive skill-set ... Good length for either wing position ... Active runner ... Quick feet ... Gets himself squared up to the hoop almost instantly ... Volume shooter ... Attempted just under six threes per game his senior season, and made an impressive 41.6% of them ... Won't have any trouble adjusting to the NBA three-point line ... Likes to spot-up in transition ... Can create his own offense ... Has a deadly step-back jumper that is highly difficult for the defense to contest ... Uses a lot of hesitation moves and pump-fakes to throw off his defender ... Drives strong with either hand, though he prefers to pull-up when driving left (often from the baseline) ... Very active without the ball ... Constantly runs to open spots on the floor, positioning himself to get a good shot off if his teammates pass the ball to him ...

Weaknesses: Not a very strong finisher at the rim, due in large part to his slight frame ... Does most of his scoring outside the paint, so it's hard for him to establish a good scoring rhythm if his shot isn't falling ... Only shot 72.1% from the stripe, which is a disappointing number for somebody that can shoot so well from the field ... Not a black hole, but can get in a score-first/score-second mindset and only look to pass as a last resort ... Needs to improve defensively ...

Overall: If Murphy can adjust to playing without the ball in his hands so much, then he could be a very serviceable scorer in the NBA ... May be a strong contributor in his rookie season, as his spot-up shooting ability is a skill that could help him wedge his way into a team's rotation right away … A potential sleeper pick, that would offer solid value if he fell into the second round …

Tyler Ingle 5/1/12

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