Calvin Murphy

Lore & Background

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.

Reader's Guide

Murphy was drafted by the San Diego Rockets (now the Houston 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 (Houston was in the Eastern Conference at the time), 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 points, a postseason career high.

After advancing past the Kansas City Kings in the conference finals, in the 1981 NBA Finals Murphy and the Rockets lost to the Boston Celtics in a six-game series. Murphy was one of the best free-throw shooters in league history, setting NBA records for most consecutive free throws made and for the highest free throw percentage in a single season (1980–1981), though both records have since been broken. He set many other records within the Rockets organization, including that of all-time leading scorer until that record was broken in 1994 by Hakeem Olajuwon.

Despite being among the shortest players in the league, Murphy was considered to be an 'enforcer' due to his physical playing style and willingness to confront other players for hard fouls. Murphy was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993.

Did You Know?

• 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.
• 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).
• In 2004, he faced trial in Houston for sexually abusing five of his daughters. He was acquitted of these charges in December of that year.