Calvin Murphy

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Lore & Background

Before basketball, Calvin Murphy was a world-class baton twirler. He says he was 'bullied into it' as his mother and all six of her sisters were twirlers. As an 8th grader, in 1963, he won a national championship in baton twirling. His reputation as a twirler earned him invitations to perform at major sporting events and the 1964 New York World's Fair. In 1977, at the height of his basketball career in Houston, Murphy won the Texas State Baton Twirling Championship. He played basketball for Norwalk High School, where he was All-State three times and All-America twice. He is a member of the Connecticut Coaches Association Hall of Fame and a Connecticut Sportswriters Gold Key Award winner. Norwalk High School's address is now 23 Calvin Murphy Rd. in his honor. Murphy attended Niagara University, where he was a three-time All-American. He scored 2,548 points in 77 games (33.1 points per game). One of his best games was a 68-point outing against Syracuse University at Niagara's Gallagher Center. In 1970, he led Niagara to the 1970 NCAA tournament and advanced to the second round, where they lost to Villanova. During his career he was famous for being one of 'The Three M's', along with Pete Maravich and Rick Mount. Murphy is a member of the Alpha Nu Omega chapter of the Iota Phi Theta fraternity, being initiated alongside fellow future Hall of Famer Elvin Hayes. Murphy was drafted by the San Diego Rockets as the first pick in the second round (18th overall) of the 1970 NBA draft. In his first season, after averaging 15.8 points and 4 assists per game, Murphy was nominated to the NBA All-Rookie team. A diminutive guard at 5 ft, Murphy was known for his quickness and defensive ability. During the 1975 NBA Playoffs, Murphy averaged a postseason career-high of 24.4 points and 5.6 assists per game, as the Rockets advanced past the New York Knicks in the first round, before being eliminated by the Boston Celtics in the semifinals. Two seasons later, on March 18, 1978, Murphy set a career high with 57 points scored during a 106–104 loss to the New Jersey Nets. The following year, he earned his only All-Star selection. During the 1980-81 NBA season, Murphy played a key role in the Rockets making it to the NBA Finals. That postseason run, on April 17, 1981, Murphy led the Rockets to a decisive Western Conference Semifinals Game 7 win over the San Antonio Spurs with 42 poi

In Their Own Story

On March 18, 1978, Murphy set a career high with 57 points scored during a 106–104 loss to the New Jersey Nets. Two years later, during the 1980-81 season, he set an NBA record for highest free throw percentage in a single season, making 206 of 215 (95.8%). That postseason, on April 17, 1981, Murphy led the Rockets to a decisive Western Conference Semifinals Game 7 win over the San Antonio Spurs with 42 points, a postseason career high. The Rockets advanced to the 1981 NBA Finals, where they lost to the Boston Celtics in six games. Murphy retired in 1983 to make way for younger players. He held the Rockets' all-time scoring record until it was broken in 1994 by Hakeem Olajuwon.

Reader's Guide

Calvin Murphy is a Hall of Fame guard known for his scoring, free-throw shooting, and defensive tenacity despite being 5 ft tall. He spent his entire NBA career with the San Diego/Houston Rockets, was a 1979 All-Star, and led the Rockets to the 1981 NBA Finals. He also won the Texas State Baton Twirling Championship in 1977.

Did You Know?

• Murphy won a national championship in baton twirling as an 8th grader in 1963.
• He scored 68 points in a college game against Syracuse University.
• Murphy set a career high of 57 points in a 1978 game against the New Jersey Nets.
• He was acquitted in 2004 of charges of sexually abusing five of his daughters.