At the beginning of each new year, Phenom Hoops works to assemble a series of articles centered around unsigned senior prospects. Last season, over one hundred players from North Carolina went on to play at the Division I, II, III or NAIA levels, and that number looks likely to continue increasing with the current senior class. Typically, we take a closer look at guys who are overlooked and underrated, and today’s edition will highlight Zach Murphy of Crossroads Christian and Greensboro Warriors.
Size, shooting, and versatility are three specific traits that can carry basketball prospects a long way throughout the recruiting process. Murphy is a player that possesses all of those traits but still hasn’t gotten enough respect in terms of offers and interest. He can score from all three levels and has shown the ability to thrive in various different roles in multiple different settings. Murphy can play with or without the ball, rebound his position effectively, contain his assignment defensively, and apply constant pressure in transition. He knows how to generate a shot for himself from little to nothing and has the capability of getting others involved when attacking the basket.
We’ve seen Murphy countless times over the past few years, including at our most recent North Carolina Phenom 150 camp, where we stated: “Continuing onto a player that possesses all the necessary tools to be a strong contributor at the next level, Zach Murphy. He’s a long, wiry, crafty wing prospect with an excellent scoring arsenal and the ability to operate within various roles on both ends of the floor. Murphy offers a nice blend of athleticism and smooth tendencies, able to consistently create for himself off the dribble and make his presence felt offensively. He possesses great quickness and can dictate the action quite effortlessly. Next in his development process is playing with a more consistent motor, as he has the ability to become a defensive stopper. Coach Senyo on Murphy: “Zachary can play multiple positions. He defense got better as the day went on. He got to the rim with some great layups. He passed well on the give-and-go and got more involved with the offense when he moved without the ball.” Murphy enjoyed a solid showing at camp and should be a prospect for college coaches to pursue throughout the upcoming months.”
Although his recruitment doesn’t match his production, Murphy continues to showcase all the necessary tools to succeed at the next level. Quietly among the most prolific scorers in the state, he averaged 21.4 PPG along with 5.6 RPG, and proved to be an excellent complementary player alongside another leader in Taylor Bell. Murphy is a prospect that will ultimately end up as a steal for a variety of programs and should be playing college ball by next season.